Jump and run: why love never saves the day
by bravd
Summary: Meg has just moved from New York to Tokyo, due to some events she doesn't really talk about. She is staying at her old friend Kyohei, a boy she met in high school while he was on an exchange program in America. After some failed attends at some jobs, Kyohei tries helping her, but things never seem to turn out as planned. Especially after she meets Jo. Alternative Univers
1. Chapter 1 Meeting Jo Meg gets employed

"Here, I washed your shirts and ironed the uniform" Meg entered the kitchen late at night. He had just arrived home and was setting the groceries in the fridge.

"Ah, Meg, you shouldn't. You make me feel bad" he turned to her with a childish smile.

"No, don't please" she collapsed in a chair. "I have nothing to do all day long and…I am the one that feels bad for living in your place without having how to pay you any rent or bills" she supported her head in her palms. "That's the least I can do."

"Meg, you are a friend and you can stay here, rent free as long as you wish" he turned back to the fridge.

"Yes…well, I don't think your fiancé will like this any longer. And I really don't want to trouble the two of you".

"That's silly, she is ok with it" he waved his hand at her.

Meg pressed her lips together, not really agreeing. Siri was a nice girl and she really seemed to care for Kyohei, but Meg was sure she didn't like the situations. Kyohei had insisted for them to not move together before the wedding and right now he was living with another girl, who was just his friend. She understood Siri's mixed feelings and under no circumstances would she want to harm their relationship. So she had to find a job quickly and move out.

"What about the place you work? Do they have any vacant jobs? I can do anything, bartender, waitress, I can even wash the dishes, I don't mind." Meg said.

Kyohei looked at her short trying to understand the woman. He lived the year passed in the USA in Meg's house. And what a house…his room was bigger than his apartment here. Meg's parents were rich and she seemed to have a bright future ahead of her. And now she was sleeping on his couch, eager to take any job, even dishwashing. He had never truly asked what had happened as she had never truly seemed eager to speak about it.

"Well…" he started saying "I am not really a cook in a restaurant as people around me tend to think. I actually work for…well, some people, I cook for them. The pay is very good, much better than in a regular restaurant, helps me put some money away for future plans." Kyohei said.

"Oh…I see. And what do they do?"

"Mhm…" Kyohei scratched his forehead. "Well…I don't really know. Some intelligence work".

Meg sighted and rubbed her eyes.

"But I can ask… My boss is pretty nice and I can…well, ask. And you can pick me up from work tomorrow and maybe have a chat with her?" Kyohei said feeling sad about Meg.

"You would do that for me?" Meg's eyes lightened up as she looked at the man.

"Of course, it's no big deal" he smile seeing the joy in her face.

"Thank you so much" she jumped up embracing him friendly.

Kyohei had waited to finish cooking his food and serve it to the whole team before talking to Sei. He watched them eat and as they finished, all went back to their usual business. Only Sei, his boss, remained at the table, eating a little slower as she was reading the newspaper.

"Sei…may I ask you something?" Kyohei said still standing.

"Sure, what is it?" she put the newspaper away. "Sit".

"Well, I have this friend…really dear friend to me. She just moved in from the states and is looking for a job. She is a good girl and is eager to work and I am sure she would do her job well. I was wondering if you had…something for her. Really, I feel so sorry for her as she can't find anything, she feels bad for crashing at my place, thinks Siri might not like the situation…please Sei if you have something…"

Sei looked at him for long, seeing how worried he was. Kyohei was surely a warmed heart man, maybe a little too good for this world.

"She is coming to pick me up, maybe you would like to meet her" Kyohei quickly added.

Meg looked at her map, then at the building. It was rather big for Tokyo city and she had to make sure she got the right place. She felt her stomach bump up and rang with shivering hands. The door opened, a rather young girl looking suspiciously at her.

"Yes?" the girl asked.

"Hi. I came to pick up Kyohei. He works here, right?"

"Yep" the girl said a little more friendly, making space for Meg to enter. "Are you Siri?"

"Oh, no, I am Meg, a friend." She entered.

"Ok. Down the hall" the girl said vanishing into a room leaving Meg alone.

She looked at the narrow, somehow dark hallway, feeling a little uneasy to walk alone through the house. There was a door at the end and she started approaching it, trying not to make too much noise. Meg was concentrated and as she passed another room with doors wide opened she didn't realize she was watched. Only when someone approached, almost jumping in front of her, Meg scared so much, that she almost fell back, letting a short scream out. She was sure her butt will hit the hard floor, but she felt a hand around her waist that held her from falling and Meg soon found she was staring into the reddest eyes she had ever seen. Usually a situation like this would have scared her to death: a dark, narrow hallway, a pair of red eyes, silver hair around them. Still, she felt calm and, rather than terrifying, she looked amazed into the woman's eyes. The hand around her waist was holding her firm and she felt a pleasant shiver going down her spine.

"What are you doing here?" the woman asked her voice clear, but deep.

"I…I am sorry, I…"Meg babbled trying to get her words right. She felt she had done something wrong yet couldn't realize what. "I am a friend of Kyohei, here to pick him up."

"Kyohei has friends? Why?" the woman asked.

"What do you mean why…" Meg asked a little confused.

The taller woman bent and moved her hands all around Meg's body like searching for something. She jumped back, annoyed by the gesture, her cheeks heating up.

"Stop it, what are you doing?" Meg asked nervously.

"You're clean" she turned and opened the door. "I found her in the hallway, says she is here to pick up the cook" she said inside pulling Meg after her. "She is clean, doesn't have any guns".

"Thanks, Jo…" the woman sitting at the same table with Kyohei said, looking a little embarrassed.

Jo shrugged and went out, letting Meg stare at the two, still trying to realize what had happened.

"Please excuse Jo. She is…extra careful. I am Sei, come in".

Meg sat down next to Kyohei.

"Kyohei was just telling me about you. I understand you moved from New York?"

"Yes, ma'am, I did."

"Oh there is no need for that. Just Sei. But your Japanese is pretty good."

"I had classes in high school and I really like the language" Meg said.

"And you speak perfect English?" Sei looked at her somehow interested.

"Yes, it's my mother language" Meg nodded.

"Did Kyohei tell you what we do here?"

"No, not really, he…he said he doesn't actually now".

Kyohei blushed hard.

"Well…we chase different criminals."

"Like bounty hunters?"

"Yes, but not really. These are people threatening the good existence of Tokyo. Everyone who works here trust me fully, this is the only information I give them. More than that it's my problem. Could you do that? Trust me fully?"

Meg looked long at Sei. She was a dark haired woman, elegant with a pleasant face. She was beautiful but not Meg's taste, who had decided years ago that she was probably more into women than into men.

"I guess I can" she shrugged. She was desperate for a job and handling society's rules wasn't her prime concern right now.

"Can you use a gun?"

Meg nodded, biting her lip in the process. She recently had found out that she could shoot better than she had ever expected.

"Well…I need a girl, pretty like you, who can talk perfect English, but also Japanese to infiltrate her…details later. You will have back up and someone to assist you. Jo, you met her."

Meg felt a clinch in her stomach. Working with Jo…seemed to sound interesting. Sei took a pen in her hand and wrote a number down.

"That would be the starting money you would work for" she handed it to Meg.

The red haired woman gazed her eyes. Her breathe left her.

"But after the mission." Sei added and Meg nodded.

"I'll take it" she smiled innocent and looked at Sei. "Damn, I need the money so much I would wash a pig for it."

Sei laughed.

"Very well. Please be here in the morning at 11. We will talk then".

Meg nodded fast and stood up with Kyohei.

"Thank you very much".

"I have no idea who she. What are you so curious about?" Amy said tapping her fingers on the keyboard.

"Come on, you just let her in and you don't know who she is?" Jo laid on the couch crossing her arms under her head.

"Yeah, so what? Besides what are you so curious about?"

"Well…you don't let people in for nothing, Amy"

"Like you ever cared. You always sniff danger so I don't have to worry. Besides she said she is a friend of Kyohei, how many people know he even works here?"

Jo rubbed the crest of her nose and stared at the ceiling. There was something on her mind. That look…the way the woman looked into her eyes. Straight into her eyes not even blinking. Usually people had, at least at first, a pretty hard time looking in her eyes. They were red, not a very common color. And she knew her look was anything else than pleasant. In fact she actually enjoyed playing tricks on people. But it hadn't worked with that woman. She had just stared, like looking at something…beautiful?

"Oh, I get it! You like her" Amy turned around on her chair with a playful look in her eyes.

"Eh, you're silly like always" Jo replied neutral and Amy crooked her face.

"Sometimes you really are annoying Jo".

"Come on, Meg this was not necessary" Kyohei said as they stopped in front of the restaurant.

"Oh yes it is. And I still have some money left, so dinner is on me! Besides after I do the job my financial problems will be over. And I really have to thank you." she said as they entered and sat down. "I have to powder my nose, I'll be right back".

Meg left her chair, but instead of going to the bathroom she exited and looked through the window. She saw Siri approach, Kyohei's surprise and smiled. At least she could do that: buy them a dinner and some private time. She marched away letting the two enjoy their night.

She decided not to take the bus home, but to go for a walk. The weather was pretty pleasant and Meg enjoyed the silent time alone.

Jo had finished her work for tonight. Tracking him down had been a child's play, Sei was handling it from there. She had decided to walk home, she enjoyed Tokyo at night. Besides she might want to stop for a drink and maybe some fun for the night. She was tired and some change of mind would do her good. Jo was about to bend around the corner when she saw her pass. The red hair seemed darker in the night, and she looked absent minded, not even noticing people that passed her. There were some men, whistling after her, some even calling, yet she walked like she was alone in a park. What was she even doing here?

Meg felt a hand on her arm and woke up from her day dreaming looking back. She stared into the same red eyes like earlier and blinked a few times.

"What are you doing here? Do you even know how dangerous this part of the city is?" Jo asked.

"What…? I…?" Meg looked around realizing she had no idea where she was. "Oh."

"Sei said you will work with us?" Jo asked.

"Yes, starting tomorrow. I am Meg by the way".

"You didn't even start work and are already getting yourself into danger. And I have to watch your back…" Jo sighted.

"I…I am sorry" Meg said quickly. "I didn't want to annoy you".

"You…didn't…" Jo looked at her surprised. "But beautiful girls like you don't just walk around this part of the town."

"And you?" Meg looked up, not knowing if to enjoy the compliment.

"I what?"

"You are…beautiful…" she whispered feeling her words somehow inappropriate. She rubbed her temple trying to find something to place her eyes on.

Jo placed her fingers under Meg's chin, pulling her head towards her. She had to know if she had just imagined.

"Look at me" she said and Meg gazed into her eyes, the expression on her face softening again. "How can you…look at me like that?"

"What do you mean" she asked confused. "Am I staring? Does it make you feel strange? I am sorry I…"

"Meg…stop apologizing for nothing" Jo smirked a little. Come on, I will take you to a taxi.

Telling Jo that she couldn't really afford a taxi, didn't seem to be the right option. So she walked after the woman and entered the car after Jo opened the door. And, to her surprise, she watched Jo hand the driver a bill.

"Get her home safe, ok?" Jo told him. "And you…try and be more careful".

"Thanks" Meg said a little annoyed.

The diver raced off and Meg found herself soon enough in her flat. She felt like a stupid child and she felt bad for having Jo pay the taxi. She was annoyed and a little angered and her stomach was also crying out. She ate something to cool it down, but it wouldn't shut up. Ten thousand rabbits had decided to have a jumping party that night. She refused to think they could be butterflies.


	2. Chapter 2 Jo's offer

CHPATER 2: Jo's offer.

"So basically I have to seduce him?" Meg asked not very happy about it. "I said I was desperate for a job, but I didn't mean I would…"

"Well, yes you have to play the eager woman, but once you get with him alone, you should be able to sedate him and get what you want. Besides, Jo will be there and you don't have to do anything you don't want to" Sei said.

Meg looked at the woman not really believing what she said. She felt like in some kind of old movie, where she had to play the part of the secret agent, seduce someone and get who knows what documents. Or implant a chip on a computer. Stupid plot.

"And I thought that was possible only in movies" Meg sighted.

"It sounds a little awkward but it's the fastest way. He loses his mind around women and has a thing for…red hair. Natural red haired women."

"So I got the job just because of this?" Meg pulled on her very long hair.

"I haven't seen someone with such a long hair in ages. Moreover perfectly red. Yes, it was an advantage" Sei smiled trying to comfort the woman. "And…that" her eyes went down on Meg's voluptuous breasts.

Meg went red and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I really would prefer washing the pig…" she sighted thinking at her last money spent on Kyohei's dinner. "Ok…I'll do it" she whispered.

"Great!" Sei said happy. "Jo will teach you how to improve your shooting skills, maybe even some body to body combat and I will prepare everything."

Meg nodded unwillingly.

"Shall we?" Jo stood up and Meg followed her.

They entered some kind of training room and Jo handed her a pair of huge headphones and a big gun which Meg almost dropped.

"Don't you have anything smaller?" she asked.

"With that impact? No. This is what I use, this is what Sei will hide for us so you better learn how to use it".

Without putting any headphones on, Jo shot the target, hole after hole right in the supposed brain and heart. Meg tried following the example, but her hand shivered.

"Hold it steady" Jo placed her palm over Meg's hand. "And look over it, don't rush it."

She pulled the trigger together with Meg and it hit the head. Then Jo sat down and watched Meg shoot over and over again.

It seemed in vein at first and Meg growled, fussed, angered. She had done this before, why wasn't it working now? Maybe it was Jo…having the woman watch so closely felt strange. She felt It seemed she was making a joke out of herself and her blood rushed to her cheeks. And then…Meg started hitting the target. Again and again, recalling that anger always helped her. Anger that had cooled down.

Jo was somehow impressed. She hadn't expected it…Meg was learning fast. And she looked intriguing waving her hair around as she shot the target. The woman's eyes lingered on Meg's body; she had all the space in the world to analyze her. Her curves were appealing and yes, she was beautiful. Physically clearly the woman for the job. Heck, she would have even fallen for Meg's charms. Somehow Jo felt a little jealous at the thought that Meg would use those charms on a random guy (well maybe not random, just some annoying rich guy, with too much influence in the world) rather than on her.

"Ok, I think that is enough" Jo said. "We don't want your arm to fall down. Come on, I will show you some self-defense moves." Not that she really thought it would help. It was like stuffing a pig before Christmas and then waiting for it to get fat in two days. Or a goose or rooster or whatever they ate in the USA for Christmas.

"What do you eat for Christmas in the USA?" Jo asked as she stopped in front of Meg.

"Turkey?" she replied not getting the question.

"Right, Turkey" Jo jumped at Meg, trying to take her unprepared. But the woman jumped aside, clogging Jo's attack. Jo tried again, but Meg was defending herself pretty well.

"Just that you know I have the brown belt in Martial Arts" Meg said, finally seeing the need in all that training her father insisted for her to take.

"Really?" Jo smirked fighting the woman.

It took them some while, but Jo finally placed Meg on the ground, holding her hands down.

"But I guess it's not the same with a black belt." Jo said satisfied. "Not that I have or need one."

Meg had put up a good fight and Jo felt pleased to finally have to woman down. Under her. Her eyes wondered on Meg's chest, rising and lowering as she was breathing hard. _Tempting_, she thought. But she jumped up, pulling Meg after her.

"Anyway it's good enough, I see you can protect yourself."

"You see? I wasn't that crazy wondering alone last night" Meg said drinking from a bottle of water, feeling a little satisfied that she could prove to Jo she wasn't just a pretty, innocent girl.

"I was just worried for you, Meg" Jo shrugged and went out, leaving the woman speechless again.

Meg entered the kitchen, finding Kyohei cook.

"So how was your first day?" Kyohei asked.

"Pretty well. Smells divine" she approached the stove.

"Listen Meg…we…we have to talk." He said full of guilt. "Siri has insisted to move in with me and I couldn't say no. Not today but…I can talk to Sei to give you some money in advance".

"Oh..." Meg said. "It's fine, I understand, don't worry. I will figure something out".

Jo entered the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed an apple out. She looked at the two talk.

"You can move in with me, I have an extra room. Until you find something. Sei won't give you the money, she is afraid you will run away with it. That's Sei always precocious at first" she said neutral.

Meg and Kyohei stared at the woman who was eating her apple.

"No, no, you can stay a few more days, I'll talk to Siri" Kyohei said.

"Are you sure?" Meg asked Jo.

"Yep" she shrugged.

"Meg…" Kyohei felt bad.

"It's better like this, really! Thank you for everything, Kyohei" Meg embraced the man. "And tell Siri I also thank her."

Meg had packed her few bags and was ready to go. Kyohei drove her to Jo's place; the woman had given her the key. She said she would arrive later, as she had some place to attend. As she opened the door, Meg entered in a bigger flat than Kyohei's and looked around. It was simple decorated, with a big sofa in the middle of the room facing a flat screen TV. Meg put her bags down and tried the first door. That must have been Jo's room, the bed was big and looked inviting, but the room was perfectly clean and tided up. And it was filled with guns. Meg opened the next door, finding an empty bedroom, with a bed, a counter and a closet. She entered and started unpacking. She placed her clothes in the closet, make up and the only bottle of perfume on the counter. She hid her few jewels in the drawer. She had thought of selling them, but she couldn't. Mostly she had inherited from her late mother. She placed a few blouses over them, thinking they were safe in there. She had finished when she heard the door buzz and she opened it for Jo.

"I bought some food, I hope you like sushi" Jo said placing some boxes on the kitchen counter.

"Love it." Meg smiled. "Listen, Jo…thank you."

"Don't mention it" the woman shrugged, grabbing a box from the upper shelf. "Here, spare keys".

"Any rules to follow?" Meg asked.

"Rules? About what?"

"I don't know…"

"Feel at home, that's all." Jo stroked a strand from Meg's face and walked into her room to change.

She looked after her, then Meg arranged the sushi on the small table. She was starving and she sat down waiting for Jo. The woman finally came out, changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top. She sat before Meg and the two started eating.

"This is a rather big place for Tokyo's size" Meg said. "Usually at least two people would live in" she added, a little curious if someone had ever lived here with Jo.

"Yes, I prefer this" Jo said.

"So have you always lived alone?" Meg looked up.

"I had…let's call it a roommate once. It didn't turn out to well. I decided it was best for her to leave. Since then I am living alone. But now I have got you" she smiled a little looking up at Meg.

Meg stared at Jo and then down at her food.

"So, I have only one bathroom, but feel free to use a counter. I'll make some space and put in some towels. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I am fine. I am bothering you enough."

"Why bothering?" Jo looked up.

"Well, I have been living in people's places for much too long I begin to feel strange. I just hope I didn't hurt Kyohei's and Siri's relationship".

"Why? Are you in love with Kyohei?"

"What? Heaven, no!" Meg laughed. "I am not really into…well men. But I guess it was strange for Siri, even if she knew I wasn't interested in him".

Jo smirked a little at Meg's statement.

"So you are not into men, but women?"

"I guess…"Meg said playing with her fork in the by now empty plate.

"You guess…?"

"Well…I…never truly had a very pleasant, let's say physical experience. With neither women nor men".

"You never had good sex?" Jo asked surprised.

Meg looked amused at Jo.

"I tried putting it into a more elegant way but…no, I never had good sex."

"How is that even possible?"

"Maybe I have no idea what I am doing?"

"So you are blaming it on you?"

"Why not? I don't know…"

"I don't think you are to blame." Jo collected the dished and stood up, placing them in the sink. She started washing them and Meg approached to help drying them.

"How can you know that?" she asked curious.

"Because you look like a woman who has a lot of passion to give."

"Is it because I am red haired?" Meg felt amused.

"No, it's of the way you move, of the way you sit and cross your legs, of how you rub your arm when you are nervous. And yes, it also of the way you wave you hair around" she said turning the tap off. "Think about it" the woman added placing a little foam on Meg's nose.

She waved her lashes and cleaned the foam from her nose amusing Jo.

"Yes, well… I need some sleep, you're training wasn't really a bed of roses. Thank you again and good night, Jo."

"Night, beautiful" Jo said as she placed the dishes in the cabinet.


	3. An assignment and a whiskey bottle

Author's note: Hi to all, first of all thanks for reading this far! I do have to warn you: some not very pretty things may happen to Meg here and we get to a little bit more of adult content. Just a little. Enjoy and chapter 4 coming pretty soon!

"So this is the house" Sei rolled a plan on the table. "You'll probably end up in his room, the house is pretty filled with guests. Now: you are an actress from Hollywood who is shooting a movie in Japan. Some new found talent. And you'll call yourself Ginger".

"Really?" Meg arched amused.

"When you get to his room, try pouring this in his drink" she handed her a pill. You'll have a pocket in your dress."

"And if they search me?"

"They won't, I am sure of it" she grinned confident. "It should knock him off pretty rapid. Then you are going to open the computer, insert the USB intro the driver and wait until it does its job. You take it away, close the computer, undress the man and you are out of there. Now if that thing with the drink doesn't work, you'll have to…tire him. Pretty bad so he falls asleep."

"Fantastic" Meg growled.

"Look…we can't send Jo in because she is not feminine enough, not his type. And he knows me so it's out of the question. I'm sure you will handle it. Take this, learn it inside out, learn where I have hidden some weapons. You'll have to find a way to communicate with Jo, I really can't wire you up. She will be there disguised as a waitress."

Meg chuckled, imagining the woman in a waitress' outfit. Sei nodded quickly and then returned to her work with Amy.

"This is insane…"Meg whispered looking over the plans. "I have no idea what I am supposed to do. And if he strangles me in his room and tries killing me?" she asked without waiting for a question.

"I'll feel it, I'll feel if you are in danger." Jo sat in front of her. "Besides that, don't forget to make eye contact with me, move your head up when you are ready to go to his room. I will be wondering around, waiting for you."

"Right…" Meg sighted.

"Here is the USB" Amy showed her a very small device. "It will go in here" she said opening a lipstick the other way and stuffing the device inside. "Now you just plug it in, it does the rest for itself. It will take you about one minute, then it is done."

"One minute is a very long time" Meg said.

"Ok, I'll let you learn the plan. Jo, you have an assignment" she said pulling Jo after her.

Meg tried memorizing the plan inside out and spent a long time staring at it.

"Meg" Kyohei approached her at some moment. "You don't have to do this. Just walk away and it's fine."

"Walk where Kyohei?" she asked. "Don't worry I will be fine."

"This is all my fault…"

"No, it is not. You helped me a lot; I can only thank you for it. How is Siri?"

"Fine, moving in today."

"I am glad to hear this. You take care of her, ok? She is a good girl, I am sure she will make you happy."

"A little jealous don't you think?" he smiled.

"It means she loves you. And, besides I lived in your flat for almost 4 months, how could she not be jealous? You're going to be ok."

"I would like to be able to say the same thing about you."

"Ah…I'll be fine" she waved her hand around. "Seen worse. Besides if it doesn't work I just have to play Matahari or something. Maybe I will even be mentioned in history as the newest lady spy" she winked and stood up. "I am heading home".

"Here, I cooked you something" he handed her a casserole.

"Thanks Kyohei you, that's sweet of you."

Meg was browsing through Jo's DVD collection trying to find a decent movie. But all were about zombies, action movies, monsters and more zombies. She crooked her nose a little and slipped in the one DVD with the only actors' name she knew. She took out some ice cream (Kyohei had sent her) and sat on the couch trying to make her mind stop thinking of the coming day. Jo entered pretty soon.

"You're home so soon? I thought you have some mission, or assignment."

"Yes, went smooth. What are you watching?"

"Zombieland. It's actually pretty funny."

"It is more of a parody and it doesn't have too much action."

"Doesn't have too much action?" Meg laughed.

Jo sat next to her and Meg handed her the ice cream and the spoon.

"Here, have some it's perfect for the soul and mind. Besides Kyohei made it so it's delicious!"

Jo tasted the ice cream and it was indeed good. She looked at Meg who was trying to watch the movie, but was also biting her nails. Jo placed her arm above Meg's shoulder and pulled her a little closer.

"You fear tomorrow…"

Meg shrugged. Her body was tense, her stomach a big hole. She placed her head on Jo's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"No, I am ok" she smiled trying to hide her distress. "But I am going to sleep now; I guess I should be rested."

"It's only 8 PM…"

"Yes, I'll read something, polish my nails, apply a mask on my face and do other girly things like that. Night Jo."

She went into her room and walked around it for some time. Then she took out the nail polish, applied and ruined it, tried again and finally succeeded. She waited for it to dry while she was reading a magazine, although nothing seemed too stuck to her mind. She rearranged her clothes in her closet, just to fill her time with something. When she was ready to go to sleep she heard a knock and Jo opened the door.

"Listen, Meg. I will protect you, ok? Actually…I guess I will always protect you. Now get some sleep" she winked and closed the door leaving Meg with a surprised look on her face. The party in her stomach started again, and she smiled feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

"Now I get it why they won't search me" Meg said to Sei as she looked into the mirror. She was wearing a very tight dress with a huge cleavage going down to her belly button, revealing a big part of her breasts. Clearly nothing else fitted in that dress, and she hid the small pill in an inside pocket bellow her knee. The dress was red, her high heeled shoes also red. "This would make even Cristina Aguilera in Moulin Rouge blush."

Sei chuckled and the two exited the room.

"Now, our friend Leo will take you there and introduce you if it's necessary. He'll help, he has a big mouth."

Jo looked at Meg in a little bit of a shock and wasn't to take her eyes of the woman's body and, specifically, chest for a rather long time.

"You look ahm…good" she finally said.

"I look like a whore."

"A beautiful whore" Jo smirked.

"Yes, that's very helpful" Meg smiled amused.

"Here I am" Leo entered. "You must be Meg, I am Leo and…wow!"

Meg rolled her eyes and sighted.

"Can we get this over with?"

"As the lady wished" Leo offered Meg his arm.

Clearly the house had been arranged to host a lot of parties. The whole first floor was a beacon of sparkles, shiny decorations, luxuriant food and very expensive champagne. The marble floor had been perfectly polished and could be used as a mirror easily. All clothes on guests looked expensive and Meg had stopped counting the real diamonds on women's necks, fingers and ears. Because, yes, she knew a real diamond from a fake. She sipped from her champagne, trying to find Jo, who was always moving around. All personnel were dressed in black pants and white shirts, nothing more, nothing less.

"There he is." Leo whispered, pointing to a rather handsome man. He was pretty young, with an elegant posture and a slick smile stuck to his face.

"So now what? There are a lot of red haired women around here."

"Just avoid his looks at first. He will notice you it's impossible not to. Try playing hard to get, until he approaches you, ok? I'll leave you now; we want you to be an easy target."

"Fantastic." Meg laughed and as she was nervous, she laughed rather loud. Leo instantly left as he saw the man look Meg's way. She flung her hair over her right shoulder and sat down at the bar, grabbing a fruit.

Jo almost dropped the tray as she observed Meg eating a banana. She was definitely not trying to hide the sexual connotation of the fruit and was almost caressing it with her lips. It even made Jo swallow hard. As she finished it, she ordered some coffee with cream and started licking the whipped cream of the spoon. Jo smirked amused at the role playing of the woman. And, of course it had worked.

"Really…drinking coffee at a party must be very dull." Meg heard a voice behind her and she as turned, she stared in the grey eyes of the man.

"Oh, I am not drinking the coffee, I just enjoy the whipped cream. I couldn't possible order a tube of cream, could I? she licked her lips in order to clean them.

"Why not? This is my party; guests should receive whatever they want."

"Oh, this is your party?" Meg played innocent. "Very sparkling party."

"I am glad you like it. I haven't seen you around before." He said as she sat.

"I am in Tokyo for a short while, filming a new movie."

"Actress?"

"New talent" she winked.

"Aha….I can see that" he said wondering what talent had gotten her the role.

Meg waved her hair a little and she bent to take her champagne in her hand.

"Is it your birthday?" Meg asked trying to keep the conversation rolling.

"Why do you ask? Have you brought me a present?"

"Depends if it's your birthday or not."

"No, it's not. I just like hosting big parties. Makes people think they are important."

"Makes you think you are important?"

"Oh a smart one?" he amused. "Well, I am important. But you haven't told me your name."

"It's Ginger…I think it could be a good stage name. You know with the hair and everything." Meg played a little dumb. "And you are?"

He looked at her trying to find out how much truth was in her question. But she just bit the piece of apple in her hand waiting for his answer curiously.

"Jim Tuck, a pleasure to meet you" he kissed Meg's hand. "So what is your movie about, Ginger?"

"Oh it's a historical horror movie. Nothing you've seen before."

"Aha…" he amused. "And how long are you staying?"

"A few months."

"Why Japan?"

"It's about Hiroshima, but I can't tell you more. It's a secret."

She took a sip from her champagne, letting the liquid roll on her neck and between her breasts.

"Oh, I am such a mess sometimes" Meg grabbed a napkin wandering it on her skin. His eyes sparkled for a short moment. "You have some beautiful paintings down here."

"All fake just to make sure. I keep the real ones in my room. Would you like to see them?"

Really? Was it that easy? Meg asked herself.

"Of course it would be like a personal viewing of the Louvre!" she cheered.

"Then follow me" he stood up offering his arm.

Jo almost threw the tray away, making her way through the guests trying to follow the two.

Meg walked with Jim for a while, through the maze of corridors. They entered a room, the size of a small museum gallery. The walls were covered in paintings and a big bed was taking the middle of the room. Nice and good, but there was no computer around. Meg gazed her eyes, playing amazed and impressed, feeling his hand on her waist.

"Wonderful. So much beauty."

"Yes, I was thinking the same" he said embracing her, his lips on her neck. "But not about the paintings."

Meg pulled her head, offering her neck, feeling the need to kick him in the balls.

"You are such a charmer. But also a liar."

"What?" he looked at her.

"I thought I was…something special. Not just a lady for the night, when you said you would take me to your room. But this is not your room."

"And why do you think so?"

"Who sleeps on a room full of paintings and only one bed? Where do you change? Where is the bathroom?"

"Silly girl" he kissed her neck again. "Why would you need a bathroom?"

"To clean this champagne off. It made my body sticky."

"I have an idea how to make it even stickier."

Meg pushed him gently away.

"You see I don't like being a woman for a night. You'll just have me here in this room and then abandon me, leaving me look like a mess. I don't like that."

He smiled amused at the played innocence of the woman.

"Very well, I'll take you to my room, but you will have to give me an extra show in the bathroom."

Meg waved her long lashes and bit her lip. He took her by her hand and walked a little more through the house. They reached a room and Meg looked around fast. It was indeed a bedroom, details were unimportant for her, the most significant thing was lying in a more hidden part of the room: the computer. Jim pulled a drape, hiding that part of the room, while Meg pretended to look at a bookshelf.

"Do you have a drink for a thirsty girl?" she asked.

He smiled and opened another bottle of champagne handing her a glass. He didn't pour one for him.

"Could you pull the drapes? I am a little bit shy." She winked.

"Well…I see you have a lot of demands" He turned to the window.

Quickly Meg pulled out the pill from her dress and threw it in her glass. She had to make him drink it. But as he turned to her, he didn't seem so polite anymore; he approached Meg and pushed her towards a counter, placing her above, parting her legs, making the material of the dress break. His mouth was on her neck again, both of his hands pulled on Meg's dress, revealing the big chest of the woman.

"Well…you are really gifted." He looked at her unzipping his pants.

"Someone has an appetite."

"For starts he winked" he parted her legs even more.

"I like it rough" Meg whispered in his ear, feeling the desperation taking her over.

And then she hoped it would work. She poured the champagne over her neck asking him to drink it. She hoped that thing was strong enough. She crooked her face as she felt his lips between her breasts, sipping on the champagne and as he looked up, she poured the remaining content directly in his mouth and begged it would work.

His hand went down, on her thighs and he pulled on her lingerie, eager to possess her. She felt him between her legs, but just as he was about to have her, his eyes went blank and he fell over her.

"Jim?" Meg whispered but there was no reply. She pushed him away and he fell like a sack of potatoes to the floor. "Bastard" Meg kicked him in his stomach, jumped over him and pulled her dress in the right place. She was boiling inside, grabbed the bottle of champagne taking big sips of it while she waited for the computer to open. She grabbed her bag, having a hard time opening the lipstick, as it kept slipping through her shivering hands and finally stuck the USB in the driver. She waited, drinking from her champagne and she felt like 10 years passed. Finally the programing was complete. Meg pulled the USB out, closed the computer, ripped Jim's clothes off, letting him think he had a passionate night and exited the room. She felt Jo's hand on her arm.

"Done?" the silver haired asked, frowning at Meg's ruptured dress. The woman nodded and Jo pulled her away, through the house. No one minded looking after them; Jo had placed her arm firmly around Meg. The car was waiting outside, Meg got in the back and Jo in the front. Leo drove off. Meg pulled on her long, silky hand gloves, tossing them aside. She sighted and leaned her head back closing her eyes. The car rushed into the night stopping only in front of Jo's house. They got off and entered, Meg sat at the table.

"Do you have anything to drink around here?" she asked opening her bag with shivering hands, tossing the lipstick on the table.

Jo opened a cabinet, she recalled she had received a bottle of whiskey from Leo once. As she found it, she placed it in front of Meg, next to glass. It didn't take Sei long to arrive, but Meg had already poured two glasses of the amber liquid down her throat.

"How did it go?" Sei asked sitting in front of her.

"Mission accomplished" Meg said looking at the whiskey running from the bottle to the glass. "Felt like Mission Impossible to me, but there was no Tom Cruise around" she looked with empty eyes at Sei. "And I heard he is pretty small, so I am not sure I would have liked him. Can't you get me a taller actor" she started babbling meaningless. "There was a Monet inside that room. Who the fuck keeps a Monet in a house?"

"Did you have to step in?" Sei asked Jo as Meg was talking alone about Monet and the Louvre.

"No. I just took Meg out of it, when it was all done" Jo folded her arms in front of her chest. Sei's phone rang and she answered having a short conversation while Meg was painting with her fingers in the air.

"You could make a beautiful model for me to paint" she said to Jo.

"You paint?" Jo asked amused.

"No, but if I would, I would paint only you" she flung her eyelashes.

"That was Amy" Sei said. "The computer is hacked; we have access to all the information".

"Hurray for Popey!" Meg cheered drinking from her glass.

"You did a good job, Meg" Sei stood up. "Now get her to sleep" she said to Jo and left with Leo.

Jo locked the door and turned to the absent minded Meg, who was befriending her bottle.

"Come on Meg, I think you had enough" Jo grabbed the bottle and placed it on a high counter.

"No" Meg stood up, but lost her equilibrium, Jo having to catch her.

"Oh, yes, you did" she smirked pulling the woman towards her room.

"You party pooper" she mumbled trying to get her dress off, but only managed falling on the bed.

Jo sighted amused and pulled on Meg's dress, swallowing hard as she revealed the woman's body. She didn't hide her lust and her eyes lingered long on Meg.

"Watch it, I might like that" Meg laughed again.

"Not more than I do" Jo sat next to her.

"You always say things like this and then let me chew on them" she pulled the woman closer, until Jo was almost over her. "I want you to do…things to me" she tried gathering the words in her mind.

"What things, Meg?" Jo played along.

"You know…" her eyes closed a little lazy. "Sexy things…

"Do you like me Meg?" Jo decided to use the situation in her own advantage.

"If I like you? Every time you say…things to me, there is a party going on in my stomach. And…" she blinked heavy.

"And? What else?"

"You make me crave for chocolate" Meg said starting to make no sense again. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Jo sighted a little frustrated, hoping she could have gotten more out of the woman. She placed the blanket on Meg and was about to leave the bed, when she felt Meg's hand on her arm.

"Stay with me…" Meg whispered in her sleep.

Jo smiled and turned off the light. She crawled into bed, taking Meg in her arms.


	4. Meg finds a lot of reasons to blush

Meg opened her eyes, aching from the pain in her head. Other than that, she felt good, her body relaxed and warm. And as she finally came to herself she realized she was sleeping on Jo's shoulder, almost naked, the woman's arm wrapped around her neck.

"What in…! Jo!" she raised her upper body, pulling on the sheets to cover her chest.

Jo rubbed her eyes and looked at Meg, making the woman forget for a short moment, which felt like ages to her, what she was about to say.

"Yes?" Jo yawned.

"What are you doing in my bed? Did we…I was drunk, Jo it's not pretty nice to take advantage of that!"

Jo laughed as she supported her arms under her head, looking amused at the woman.

"Well from what I recall, you were extremely eager for me to…"

"Did we or did we not?!" Meg interrupted the woman.

"Do what?" Jo teased with a smirk.

"Have sex, for crying out loud, what do you think I am talking about here? Visiting a Zoo?" Meg angered a little.

"Would you like to visit the Zoo?"

"Jo!"

"No, Meg we didn't have sex. Speaking of which" she moved a little in bed "what happened yesterday with Jim?"

Meg crooked her face a little evoking her experience from last night.

"Don't recall me of that. I urgently need the longest shower of my life" she stood up pulling the sheets after her. "And then I will sleep for another hundred years. Alone!" she glanced at Jo and left.

The silver haired woman sighted, slightly amused, slightly angered. And vicious thinking of his hands on Meg's body, depraving something she was musing of. She hit the bed with her fist and stood up.

The warm water felt good on Meg's body, cleaning and caressing it. Her head felt better and she didn't feel as bad as she had expected it. And it was all because of Jo. Waking up with the woman next to her had made her feel…safe. And she hadn't felt safe since…Meg shook her head refusing to think of the past preferring to focus on Jo. She still couldn't remember how she had ended up in bed with the woman and it was not the sex-that-never-happened that scared her, but the fact that she might have not recalled the experience. She turned the tap off and dried her skin, arranging the towel around her body, preferring not to walk naked around the house. As she entered her room, she found the sheets changed, the window opened letting fresh air in and a cup of hot coffee on the counter. She smiled, feeling a little bad for her earlier reaction. She took a sip from the cofee and crawled back into bed.

It was past noon when Meg woke up the second time. She brushed her teeth and put some clothes on wandering to the kitchen finding a note on the table.

_Had some errands to run. Sei asked for you to go to her when you wake up. Also I need to talk to you. Jo. _

Meg sighted long, closing her eyes. Her reaction had been stupid and who knows what else she had said last night. And that _I need to talk to you_ without any other explanation didn't sound good.

She went back to her room and pulled an olive dress on, stopping above her knee, her leather jacket and a pair of boots. Somehow she felt the need to look good and was pretty pleased with the result as she stared into the mirror.

"You did a great job yesterday" Sei said as she handed Meg a cup of tea. "Felling better?"

"It's ok" she smiled polite.

"So here is what I promised" Sei handed her a check. "And a big thank you. Now…I would like you to stay with us. We could need you around here."

"Does this mean I have to seduce other men?" Meg looked at the check. She had to give in: she was used with a lot of money. Her parents had always given her everything and even if she wasn't a brat or crazy about expensive stuff, life had been easier when she hadn't any financial problems. And she was a spender for good food. Speaking of which she had some ideas on dinner.

"It may happen. It was the first time, anyway, and I don't intend to repeat it too often. But I need another person here to handle things, besides Jo. So what do you say?"

Meg nodded.

"Great!" Sei cheered. "You can start tonight. I need you to meet an informer of ours and receive some documents. Nothing dangerous, you'll meet in a down town restaurant."

"Tonight?" Meg looked at her.

"Yes, at seven."

"Ok…" Meg agreed watching her plan to cook a special dinner for Jo fall apart.

The restaurant looked pretty expensive and fancy. It was a French type with waitress in elegant clothes, serving perfectly. She had ordered a glass of white wine, despite her exaggerated alcohol consumption a night before. It was not something to worry Meg. She waited looking at the people hurry through the pouring rain hoping it wouldn't take long and that she could get home pretty soon and find Jo there. Now that she had money again, she would have to finally find a place to move in, she couldn't disturb her any longer. But the thought made her somehow sad.

"I am glad you didn't start without me" Jo sat down surprising Meg.

She had a playful smile on her lips and winked as Meg waved her lashes trying to understand what was happening.

"I thought I was supposed to meet some informer…" she said.

"Oh that…I wanted to surprise you and asked Sei to play along" she made a sign to the waiter. "So I heard you joined Bai-Lan for good?"

"Yes, I guess I did."

"Should we celebrate?" Jo looked down at Meg's glass of wine. "But I see you are already drinking for the cause."

"This?" Meg smirked taking the glass in her hand. "Did I ever tell you that I have some Russian roots? So this is like sweet tea for me" she took a sip from it.

The waiter handed two menus and Jo asked for the same type of wine as Meg was drinking. She opened the menu and looked inside. She rubbed her forehead all that exquisite food giving her a headache.

"Stake?" Jo said for herself.

"Stake? Don't tell me you are ordering stake?" Meg asked amused.

"I don't get half of these things. What the fuck is a foie-grass?" she blinked fast.

Meg smiled.

"What if I order for you? I mean you are in a French restaurant having a simple steak is a sin!"

"Yes, please" Jo placed her menu down. The waiter approached and took his notebook out.

"We'll have the foie-grass as starter, and the…do you like fish?" she looked at Jo who nodded fast, not really carrying, "and the Escabeche. And for desert I think one mousse au chocolate would be enough for both, please."

"Excellent choice mademoiselle, not many know the Escabeche" he said pleased and left with the menus.

Jo looked intrigued at Meg, who couldn't wait for the food to arrive.

"I hope you are not trying to poison me" the silver haired woman said. "Mainly after this morning…"

"About that" Meg bit her lip. "I am sorry I barked at you like a total idiot."

"It's fine, you can't recall much of last night, so it's natural you scared."

"No...it's not. And I wasn't so terrified of the thought that we have might have slept together…I scared I couldn't recall it, that I might have missed it." Meg lowered her voice feeling it was pretty hard to say the words. She looked down at her glass, but felt Jo's palm on her hand.

"I am really glad you told me this" she smiled comforting. "By the way, you look very beautiful."

"I am glad I didn't decide to hide in jeans and a loose t-shirt. Why am I here, Jo? What did you want to talk about?"

"Well…now that Sei finally pays you…I guess you aren't in such of a money problem anymore."

"No, I am not. I can move out."

"No…Meg, stop interrupting me" Jo said amused. "I wanted to ask you to not move out. To stay. The flat is big enough and I like you in there."

Meg felt the heat going up her cheeks and she nodded happily.

"But you didn't have to bring me to a restaurant to tell me this" she said as the waiter placed the appetizer on the table.

"Actually" Jo said as she greased a little of the intriguing foie-grass on her bread "I wanted to ask you what happened last night. With Jim."

She had planned it well, asking Meg about it here. First of all the woman had no place to escape; second and most important of all, Jo had to control herself in a place like that. She was afraid she would burst and it wasn't and image she would have liked for Meg to see.

"Look, I was hired for that, I mean I shouldn't or you shouldn't be so worried about it. The chances that I had to play the mistress were pretty high. Especially as he rushed like there was no tomorrow. Maybe I didn't play the mysterious woman, who likes to be pampered well enough and he saw me as an easy target to…you know, jump on me like a rabbit and get it over with."

"Did he?" Jo asked sharp.

"Jo, what's wrong with you? You are making me feel like a helpless virgin who was placed in a cage with endless horny men."

Jo took a long breath in. Yes, she was overprotective. Of Meg and it was a new feeling to her. She didn't even know the woman, but she couldn't stand the thought that something bad could happen to her. If it would be up to her, she would steal Meg away and place her in a golden cage far from everything.

"And no, we didn't get at the point I managed tricking him somehow. But it was close he was ready to go when he collapsed over me. Can we change the subject?" Meg shivered a little like trying to get his body of her. "How is the foie-grass?"

"It's actually very good…" Jo said.

"You see? Nothing good food can't fix. And fine wine" she winked, taking a sip from the liquid.

"What wine is that?" she asked.

"It's a Chardonnay from Jura" Meg said naturally enjoying her food.

"Aha." Jo supported her head in her palm and looked at Meg interested.

The waiter brought the fish and placed it in front of the woman.

"And I thought it was a regular wine from the market down street."

"Come on Jo, they use …" Meg stopped and looked up at the woman realizing she was giving a too much of herself. "It's nice".

Jo laughed and tasted her food.

"This is really good. So how come you know so much about French food?"

"You know, Kyohei taught me…"

"Did he also teach you about fine wines? Or how to perfectly pronounce the names in French?"

"That's part of my past and I want to forget about it."

"Happens pretty often, but you will realize it comes to chase you in the end" Jo said, smiling softly.

"Won't you ask more?"

"No. You may tell me when you wish, if you wish. I am interested in you, not in your past. Besides, if I want to know more I can torment Kyohei until he spits it all out."

Meg laughed, choked on her food and took a sip from her wine to calm her throat.

"You know, I was actually planning to cook for you. But then Sei asked me to be here."

"Really? How come?" Jo asked pleased.

"Well, you said you wanted to talk to me and I was scared you were going to through me out of the apartment."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you don't look like a person to stand the silly girl I was in the morning. I thought I had…angered you" she shrugged.

"I didn't think I look that scary for you. Besides, you didn't upset me, but the way you acted in the morning, might have given me the impression that you could never see more in you than your roommate. Well, but then I recalled your words…" she stopped as the waiter placed the desert and two spoons on the table.

"What words?" Meg asked digging the spoon in the sweet.

"From last night. Asking me to stay and all that…"

Meg went red, trying to recall what else she might have said as Jo enjoyed the look on the woman's face. There was innocence in Meg, she was certain of it, but there was also the strength of a fighter. Jo tasted the desert letting her mouth melt away.

"Actually I am glad you know so much about food, it was the best meal I ever had" the silver haired smiled.

Jo's phone rang and she took it out annoyed, swearing in her head. It was Sei and she answered with a sight.

"I need you in here. Meg too. I guess she is with you so I don't have to call her as well" Jo felt some kind of grin from Sei.

"Really Sei…"

"Sorry it's urgent" she closed the phone.

"That was Sei interrupting our perfectly planned dinner" Jo growled.

She made a sign to the waiter to bring the bill.

"And by the way…it's on me" Meg took out the wallet.

"Yea, right" Jo grinned grabbing the bill from the waiter taking some money out of the back of her trousers.

"Oh come on, I should buy you dinner, you took me in for no charge."

"Meg, if I ever here a nonsense like that from you again, I will bind you to the bed and tickle you until you say you're sorry."

Meg laughed and placed her wallet back in her small purse. She left with Jo trying to find a cab in the rain. But it was in vein, no car stopped.

"And I decided to leave the car back exactly today" Jo sighted. "Yet again, I guess we have something to blame for being late."

"What do you mean? We won't be late if…" Meg looked at.

The silver haired smirked taking Meg by her hand and pulling the woman in her arms. She placed her hands on Meg's waist and couldn't hold a grin back as she read the surprise look in Meg's eyes. And then she seemed to lose herself in the vast red ocean, giving Jo the perfect occasion to lower her head and kiss the woman's lips. She tasted them long, slowly enjoying her sense, her heat.

Meg's head was blurry when they parted and Jo took her hand in hers, waving at a taxi that finally stopped. They got in the back and Jo told the driver the address. She turned to Meg, unwillingly to stop what she had started, almost falling over the woman as she kissed her again passionately. Meg's hands went on Jo's neck, in the silver hair, pulling the woman closer, pressing their bodies together. She had never kissed so eager and had never tasted lips so pleasant and so skilled. The diver had a hard time looking ahead.

"Finally" Sei said as the two entered. She arched at Meg's red cheeks and rosy lips and hid a chuckle. "I have an assignment for you tonight. You'll have to escort our client to Osaka, by car. Jo, I need your driving skills. Meg you will assist Jo and our client. And I will meet you both in Osaka tomorrow, Amy and I are taking the plain. What's next I will explain there. The car is waiting for you, anything you need is inside. I typed the address where you will pick Mister Henry Simon on your GPS. Good luck."

Jo nodded and walked, Meg rushed after her.

"Just like that? Can't we pack something?" she asked the silver haired who opened the trunk.

"No, there is never time, if Sei doesn't say so. Besides we have everything here" she said handing Meg a gun. She vent down to Meg, pulling her boot a little down, hiding a knife on her leg, trying not to look up at the woman's legs.

"Well, now I feel agent like" Meg said amused. watching Jo.

The woman stood up and sighted.

"Right now you and I should be between the sheets and I would rather have you fill the night with screams of pleasure than following me to Osaka on a trip where I will barely get to touch you." Jo said arming herself.

"Heaven, you have a way of speaking, it sends the shiver directly in my stomach."

"Stomach?" Jo looked at her not very pleased. "I was thinking of a place more south than your stomach."

Meg smirked and Jo kissed her lips. They got into the car and drove off.


	5. Danger and passion: the hotel room

Author's note: Hello to everybody, yet again thank you for reading my story. We are finally getting to the...adult content part so I hope you enjoy. Next chapter will reveal a dark secret so "tune" in soon :)

Henry Simon was at the end of his middle age, just at the verge of old. His mouth was hidden by a thick grey moustache and eyes were covered by a pair of round glasses. He would have resembled Santa Claus if he had a beard. He was holding to a suitcase, staring outside through the black glass of the car, at all times. It was not the first time Jo was escorting him somewhere, so the woman was racing the roads doing her job.

Meg, on the other side, wasn't quite sure what to do. Definitely there was no space for conversation and she started feeling a little tired. But then again she had to keep an eye out and did the best to remain awake.

Henry had fallen asleep at some point, embracing the suitcase like it was a pillow and Meg felt a hand in her thigh. She looked at Jo, whose lips were filled with a smirk and wished she could be at home, sleeping sound in the woman's arms.

Jo looked at Meg with the corner of her eyes. She had to keep her eyes on the road and on Henry, so every peak she would take towards Meg was like a little reward. There must have been something about it: the need in people to have someone. To not be lonely. She had never felt that need, she was all right just on her own. She would please her needs with one night stands, it was enough for her. Until now. There was something about Meg, something that made her wish to always be around the woman. Just the simple fact that she was in the same car with her, was enough. Well almost.

It was still dark when Henry asked for a stop, to Meg's relief. She needed to stretch her legs desperately. The two women followed the man to the bathroom, under the curios eyes of the employees of the gas station and after Jo made sure there was no one inside, Henry entered the small toilet still holding to that suitcase. Jo was next to his door, while Meg remained at the end of the hallway, analyzing everything. There was nobody else in the gas station, besides the man and woman at the front desk. A happy song was playing on the radio and Henry soon came out. Jo made sure the man got inside the car as she had to fill the tank. She left Meg outside guarding the car and entered, hurrying, but, as she turned, to exit the gas station, another black car pulled over, the tires letting a loud sound out. They jumped out of the car as Jo ran out, but Meg had already pulled her gun out, shooting the first guy in his leg.

"Don't shoot the withe haired!" One of the four men yelled the other pointing at Meg, but Jo moved impossible fast, bullets flying all over the place, some hitting the tires of the car.

"Get inside" she demanded for Meg and jumped inside the car.

Meg got in the back, pushing Henry's head down, covering hers with her arm and Jo drove off. She raced through the woods, pushing the car to its maximum. Finally she slowed a little.

"Are you both ok?" she asked looking through the back mirror at them.

"Yes." Meg inspected Henry.

"I am fine, child." He relaxed a little. "They weren't after me, anyway".

Jo had heard them. And so did Meg. Clearly Jo had been the target. Jo pulled the car over, pushing the break hard.

"What were they after?!" she grabbed Henry by his collar.

"I guess you. Didn't you hear them?" he replied calm, somehow used with Jo's temper.

"And? What else? What do you know about this?" she pulled on him a little harder.

"I don't know what they wanted from you" he said and it seemed to Meg that he was choosing his words wisely.

Jo stared long into his eyes, making his blood freeze. She released him and drove off.

"Sorry" Meg whispered to Henry in an attempt to relax the atmosphere.

"Oh, don't worry, I know Jo's bad temper. She explodes out of anything, I wouldn't want to be around when she runs out of toilet paper" he joked. "But she is a perfect body guard, saved me from some difficult moments in the past. Although I must say you are sometimes a little bit too violent" he rubbed his neck.

"Only when necessary. And with those who need it" Jo said looking through the mirror at Meg. But the woman smiled making Jo understand that she trusted her.

The day was finally braking when Jo parked in front of the big hotel in Osaka. It was filled with all kind of security guards and Henry sighted relieved.

"There is a convention here…"he said as he got out. "I guess I will be seeing you around. Thank you again" he bowed his head and entered.

Meg stretched her limbs and yawned.

"Now what?" she asked Jo.

Jo took out her phone and dialed Sei's number. After she related all events she shut the phone and took out the big bag from the trunk.

"Now we check in and wait for Sei. We…rest" she smirked, placing her arm above Meg's shoulder.

They entered the very secured hotel and Meg looked around as Jo took the keys from the reception. Men in dark, expensive costumes entered with their armed guards also checking in. Finally they took the elevator up and entered the room. Jo placed the bag down and laid on the king sized bed relaxing. Meg walked around the room, admiring the fine furniture. She took out a bottle of water from the fridge and looked outside. The hotel was solitary, few buildings surrounding it.

"So we have some clothes here…" Jo said opening the bag. She took out two loose t-shirts and placed them on the bed. "That is if you don't prefer sleeping naked" she grinned as she took off her jeans and shirt crawling into bed.

"Don't play funny with me, I still can't remember how I got naked into bed last night" Meg turned grabbing a t-shirt.

"I undressed you, I feared you would choke in that dress" she grinned pleased. "And I must say, Meg, you have a body to die for."

"Charmer" Meg crooked her nose playful. She hid her face from Jo, fearing it was the color of a tomato and took her clothes off, slipping the t-shirt on. But as she turned to Jo, she found the woman had fallen asleep. She smiled and climbed into bed, feeling Jo embrace her in her sleep.

Jo had woken and had showered when Meg finally opened her eyes.

"Morning sleepy, breakfast is here" she sat on the bed next to Meg.

"Smells divine. But I need a shower first"

"Be my guest" Jo stood up grabbing the paper.

Meg went into the bathroom finding a new toothbrush next to the sink. She cleaned her teeth and her face then turned the tap on. She entered the shower and looked for the body shampoo, but there was none around.

"Jo" she called and heard the door. "Have you hidden the shampoo?"

"No, it's by the sink" the silver haired replied, lingering her eyes through the foggy glass of the shower. She couldn't see much, except for Meg's silhouette.

"Oh, ok…" Meg said a little embarrassed. "I'll take it myself don't worry."

"Why bother?" she heard the door slide and felt two hands around her, Jo pressing her naked body on Meg's back.

She closed her eyes the warm water and Jo's skin on her filling her senses. She tried saying something, but words just refused to form in her mind and she let a pleased moan when she felt the woman's lips on her shoulders. Jo's hands went all over her body, teasing her breasts as Meg supported her hands on the wall breathing hard. The temperature climbed up in the tight cabin; Jo turned Meg towards her craving for her lips. She kissed the woman while their bodies rubbed against each other and Meg shattered as she felt Jo's hand on her buttocks and between her legs. She was touching her gently, teasing her point of pleasure, making Meg moan harder, unable to stop her deep breathing.

"I wish to please you" Jo whispered into Meg's ear as she slid inside the woman, feeling the heat of her flesh. Meg was helpless and Jo had to embrace the woman's waist in order to support her body.

"You're making me go insane" Meg managed saying in a low tone, her hands on Jo's shoulders, trying to hold from collapsing.

"Hush and let me enjoy you" Jo sucked on Meg's earlobe, her fingers moving faster inside the woman.

She felt Meg's palms in her hair, her breathe next to her ear, her moans killing her as she filled the woman with pleasure. She caught Meg before falling down and set her on the titled floor of the cabin kneeling next to her. Meg was trying to catch her breath, she embraced Jo's neck and kissed her lips.

"I've never seen someone explode as you did, heaven, Meg, you are so beautiful" Jo stroked the wet strands from the woman's face. She pulled Meg up, after all she had to shower.

"Let me…" Jo said pouring the shampoo on her hands.

She applied it on Meg's hair, massaging her scalp, going with her fingers through the long hair. She cleaned it gently with water and then poured shower gel on her palms, wandering her hands on the woman's body, gently cleaning her shoulders, breast, belly and back. She bent down, her hands caressing Meg's legs. When Meg was finally squeaky clean she exited the shower, her mind again blurry and her body aroused, although Jo had no intentions what so ever. Her only wish had been to pamper the woman, but she realized she had done more, when Meg pulled her towards the room directly to the bed. She was craving to get her share, to explore Jo's body as she hadn't had the chance and she took long, learning every curve, adoring the small breasts and taste of her hard nipples. She overwhelmed Jo with her passion, bringing the woman to her top of pleasure with the help of her lips and tongue feeling full field when she felt Jo melt into her.

Her stomach growled as she laid on the bed and she giggled thinking that the effort of the morning had left her starving. She wanted to leave the bed, but felt Jo's hand pulling her back.

"Where do you think you are going?" Jo trapped the woman under her.

"I am starving Jo. Really!" she laughed amused.

Jo's faced softened as she stared at the woman under her and she felt the need to smile.

"What do I get for being right?" she asked Meg her palms supported next to the woman's head.

"Right at what?"

"You are a passionate woman, Meg."

"I guess something or someone triggered that in me."

"I think it's going to be a lot of fun to live with you" she smirked thinking of how she will move Meg directly to her bedroom on the day they will return.

"Not if you let me starve to death" Meg teased and Jo pulled away.

"Very well, you will need your strengths" Jo supported her head on the back of the bed watching Meg cut her eggs.

"So what do you like in life Jo? I mean you enjoyed the food last night, but it didn't turn you head over heels."

"You. I like you."

"Besides me" Meg rolled her eyes amused. "Zombie movies? Your weapons?"

"That's pretty much everything I know. And maybe it would be best for you to know now, Meg" she said as her face turned more serious. "I am not…like you. I am not totally human. I was created in a lab to be the perfect soldier."

Meg placed her knife down staring at Jo.

"How is that even possible?"

"It is. But they shut it down and I escaped. Sei found me and since then I am working for her. Being what I am, I don't enjoy things as you, people, do. And well…I have a craving to fight. And I kill easily, I don't have second thoughts. Although I don't do it just for the sheer pleasure of it, as I have been…let's say programed."

Meg was still staring at Jo, frozen.

"I am build as a killing machine. That is why even my eyes are cold as ice, I don't… empathize. I can't tell what someone needs or feels. And usually people have some fright in them when they see me. But you…you just didn't. And it…confused me, it still does. It also mesmerizes me. I am insane to see myself in your eyes" Jo stood up and approached Meg.

She bent down to the still stiff woman.

"But right now you are more scared than a bunny in a tiger's cage" she smiled a little disappointed.

"No I…" Meg rubbed her lips, blinking fast. "I am terrified of the thought that someone could really…build people for that. Destroy their lives. And…I don't fear you Jo, not at all, it didn't change how I feel about you. And really, do I look like some kind of Mother Teresa to you? Believe me I have my sins, I am not the person to judge" she caressed the woman's face with her fingers.

"How do you feel about me, Meg?" Jo placed her palm upon the woman's hand enjoying the feeling on her cheek.

"I…" Meg blushed yet again trying to gather all her feelings into words. But Jo's phone interrupted her and the silver haired woman growled annoyed; the need to just flush that thing down the toilet growing bigger in her. Yet again, it was Sei so she had to answer.

"What?" Jo said cold in her phone.

"Well someone is angry. Have I interrupted you?" Sei said amused. "I am down with Amy and Leo, join us for lunch there is someone I want you to meet."

"Fine" Jo mumbled and shut the phone. "Sei wants us downstairs."

She opened the bag again and took all of the clothes out.

"I guess this is for you" she showed another red dress to Meg. This one was shorter and didn't have a cleavage to Meg's relief. Then she handed Meg a short jeans skirt and a black tank top.

"This looks nice" Meg took off the towel in which she had wrapped herself.

"This looks even nicer" Jo pulled out black, silky lingerie.

"Give that to me" Meg grabbed them. She resumed dressing under Jo's pleased eyes and placed the long scarf around her neck. Finally Jo pulled her jeans on and another top. Meg wondered her fingers on the big tattoo.

"You know while we were in the shower I had the impression it was glowing" she said.

"It does, when I am passionate about something. Or very concentrated, when my mind is pushed. I guess this is how they imprinted everything me" she pulled the red jacket on. Then she embraced Meg, resting her hands on the small of her back. She kissed the woman long before finally deciding to leave the room.


	6. Meg's past

Author's note: And this is how the drama in Meg's life is revealed. Be warned there is a lot of dramatic drama containing a lot of drama :)

_Thank the heaven for the food_ Meg was thinking as the waiter sat the plate in front of her. Her whole morning had been a little crazy and she couldn't hide a smile when she thought of it. Jo was next to her, not very interested in her food, listening to Sei.

"So we are here for a so called business convention regarding safety throughout the world. Which would be also translated as a presentation of the newest weapons. The Osaka police asked us to assist them and keep an eye on everything. We will collaborate directly with the daughter of the chief of police who is a little late" she said looking at her watch.

"Takane?" Jo asked.

"Exactly."

"Well that will be interesting. And you are sure nothing will explode if she shows up?"

"I will ask you to try and keep your…competition with Takane on a low level. I know the two of you like fighting over who is stronger, but keep your games private, ok?"

"Well if it isn't the mighty Jo!" a young woman, her hair in a short bob wearing some kind of sailor/school uniform popped out from nowhere."

"So what no fire behind you" Jo looked after Takane, teasing the woman.

Takane hit Jo's shoulder in a friendly attempt and sat down.

"So who is this?"

"This is Meg, are newest member" Sei said.

"Oh, nice" she said Meg. "I am Takane, have a long history going on with these people" she smiled friendly towards Jo.

Meg wasn't even thinking to feel jealous. She was still floating on a cloud somewhere high above.

"So, I can't get you in at the presentation. Only Sei and Leo will participate at a few. But the party, there is where my father wants you all to pay attention. Nothing big, just to be sure we don't have some maniac hoping to kill half of the world's weapon suppliers and inventors." Takane fussed around. Until then…can I borrow Jo to check the sewing system? Daddy's men always crook their nose, but she's not that sensible".

"Sure" Sei said.

"Ok, I am up to monitoring everything" Amy jumped up.

"What about me?" Meg asked.

"You have the afternoon free."

"Rest, we need your sharp instincts. By the way, Sei, we need to talk" Jo said and all left the table.

_Oh well…_Meg played with her fork in her plate. She ordered desert and enjoyed it for long, before she took a walk through the hotel's shops. There was a yellow scarf that got her attention and she bought it. After that she decided to sleep, what better way to rest than that.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty" Jo whispered in Meg's ear.

She opened her eyes lazy looking directly in the ocean of red.

"Is it already evening?" she stretched her arms.

Jo kissed her lips.

The evening was calm. Guests sat at tables eating or chatting, nothing crazy seemed to happen. Everyone was eager to have a conversation with someone else.

"My… the new technology on weapons…that was an incredible presentation" Leo said appearing next to Meg. "Really who would even dare start something here?"

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing."

"Go in the next room, get yourself a drink, you people are starting to look strange staring as you do."

Meg nodded and left the main room for a smaller one. She went to the bar and asked for an alcohol free cocktail. But then she heard something and she thought she was imagining. She turned her head a little feeling her blood freeze in her veins as she saw him. She took a step back, forgetting about her drink and rushed out as fast as she could.

"Isn't that your daughter?" the two men turned after her.

"What?" he arranged his glasses over his nose. He looked long after Meg. "No. You imagined it."

Meg was trying to find her way out of the hotel, walking blindly through the corridors.

"Hey, hey!" Jo stopped her catching the woman in her arms. "I called you a few times, you didn't hear me. What's wrong Meg?"

But Meg just stared blank.

"I am sorry, Jo, I need a moment" she pulled herself away walking out.

She found the empty pool and sat on one of the sun beds, supporting her forehead in her palms.

"I don't know how to…I don't know how to tell what is wrong to you. I told you I have problems empathizing. But I can tell there is something wrong with you and you can't just say you need a moment and walk away. This is now how it works, I want to know what bothers you" the silver haired woman tucked her hands in the pockets of the black pants as she stopped in front of Meg.

Meg swallowed her tears of anger, but couldn't look up; her eyes were blood shot.

"You're crying" Jo sat on the bed in front of her.

"And you say you're not empathizing." Meg looked up with a gloomy smile.

"Did I do something wrong?" Jo asked a little helpless.

"No, heaven no! It's my past that is tracking me down."

"It always does, Meg" she took the woman's hands into her.

"My father…he is here. I don't know why as he has nothing to do with people around here, but he is. And…what am I supposed to do Jo? It's not like I can avoid him all evening."

"What happened between you and your father?"

"It's…I…"

"Meg…I don't mind if you don't tell me, but you will feel better. I am here to listen to you"

"You were right Jo. I come from a wealthy American family, that is why I know so much about food or fine wines, my family always loved these things. I think I said, as a baby, mouse a _chocolate_ before I said mama. My father is a scientist a renowned doctor. And when my mother fell ill he tried anything to save her. But it was too much, he had gotten at the point where he was practically torturing her. She couldn't take it anymore. One night when I was with her, she begged me to end her life. I refused, I cried, I…but her eyes…they were already dead. All I had to do was pull on a wire. So I locked the door and did it…I watched her die, I saw the relief in her eyes. My father broke the door, but it was too late. I practically killed my own mother, Jo" her tears ran all over her face. "Dam it, my life is a drama movie all over the place!"

"I think…you did the right thing, Meg." Jo whispered. "Did he throw you out?"

"No…he refused talking to me for months. And I couldn't stand it anymore, I just left. I didn't look once behind, it would have killed me to remain there. But…I can't forgive him for what he did to her, as he can't forgive me for what I did to her. All those research for what? He went insane he…" Meg sighted.

Jo looked up at an approaching man, with reddish hair.

"Meg…" she whispered.

"Might I have a word with her alone?" he asked.

"No, I…" Meg fussed.

"Meg, please"

"I'll wait for you few meters away" Jo kissed Meg's palm and stood up. "I am watching you" she stared at the man and his fixed eyes puzzled her.

The man sat down in front of Meg and she looked up.

"I can't forgive you. Blame me as long as you wish but…"she whispered.

"I can't forgive you either" he smiled absent minded. "But I can't hate you…look at you…you are your mother."

"What are you even doing here? Since when do you deal with world wide security?"

"It's a project I am involved in, they also need scientist. You know what I did to your mother…wasn't only for her, it was for the wellbeing of people. It was a step in evolution."

"What is a step in evolution? Tormenting dying people? Refusing their right to go?"

"And since when do you have a right to decide that?"

"She asked me! She begged me!" Meg's voice was husky.

"Your mother wasn't thinking right, Meg!"

"My mother was physically suffering she was in pain! Couldn't you read that on her face? We had to close the casket at her funeral in fear that people would scare of her sight. All that beautiful red hair had fallen out, her eyes were almost white, her skin grey and wrinkled. You destroyed her."

"I was saving her!" his voice became sharp.

Meg stared at him long.

"You're mad…you truly are…"

He sighted and looked up at the stars.

"I might be, but I just wished to see her healthy again."

"Death is not something to play with"

"It's not something for you to decide"

"Neither you…you are…" she stopped realizing it was in vein, that the conversation was going in circles.

There was a long silence between the two. Jo was leaning down a wall watching them.

"Why did you cover it up?" Meg asked.

Her father looked up at Meg, smiling bitter.

"You are my daughter, Meg do you think I would have had it any other way? You were my little angel…" he took a long breath. "And…it wasn't easy for me to find you have left without a word or trace. I was worried, damn it, I am your father no matter what you do."

"I am fine, you should not worry."

He also looked at Jo.

"Is she a friend of yours?" he asked curious.

"She is…well she is my hope" Meg smiled.

"The two of you seemed pretty close. I didn't expect you to be…to be into women but if it makes you happy…"

"Look father, I am nothing you ever expected me to be. I guess I have let you down and for that I am sorry. But…things never evolve as they are supposed...as we think they are supposed to."

"Come home, Meg" he suddenly said.

She shook her head.

"No, I can't, I won't. It's better for me here."

He stood up and looked down at his daughter.

"I forgive you, if you come home. I have built all this for you, to have a better life."

"You have built what for me?"

"Everything. And you are my only child; you will inherit it one day. It is your duty as my daughter."

"I don't want that duty."

"If you come home, I will forgive you"

"But I will never forgive you."

"Look Meg…love never saves the day. It didn't save your mother and it won't save you."

"I am not sure I understand what you mean by that."

"You will…pretty soon" he looked towards Jo. "Take care of yourself. The door to my home, our home, will always be opened for you" he said and walked away.

Jo waited for him to leave and approached Meg.

"Are you ok?" she asked as Meg stood up.

"Yes, yes I am" she smiled and embraced the woman. "Because of you".

"Sei called, our duty is over. As expected nothing happened. Any plans for tonight?" she smiled.

"Anything that involves you, even if we have to search some pipes for rats."

Jo smiled taking Meg by her wrist, walking away with her.

It wasn't even near morning, when Sei knocked hard at the door. Jo stood up, sleepy and let the woman in.

"Sei…" Jo tried gathering her thoughts.

"Pack, we are leaving. Now!" she demanded as Meg opened her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"They are here…they are after you. How stupid of me to bring you here. And that Henry…it was all a trap."

"Sei…you are not making any sense" Jo said.

"Your…creator" she crooked her nose at the words. "He is here. They are here. He was not on the list of guests, but I bumped into him just right now. Laurent isn't the man to play with!"

"L…" Meg felt her voice vanish. "Laurent?" she asked.

"Laurent Bloom, world renowned scientist one of the… let's say investors in the project that created Jo."

Meg saw black before her eyes. She covered her face with her palms and leaned towards the end of the bed.

"Laurent Bloom is my father" she whispered.

The room was a silent for a little bit too long.

"That's why he was so familiar to me" Jo said.

"You are Bloom's daughter?" Sei's voice became husky. "And when were you about to tell me?"

"I didn't think it mattered! From what I always knew, my father researched cancer and Alzheimer not human weapons! He…heaven!"

"Pack, I want you down in five minutes down" Sei left the room.

"Jo, I am so sorry!" she stood up.

"Meg, this is not your fault. Don't blame yourself" Jo said as she threw all the clothes in the bag. Her face was pale, gloomy; fading memories came to her mind. Better dead than taken back.

"Hurry" Sei said as they arrived down.

"Miss Sei" she heard a voice behind.

"Go!" she demanded Jo and the woman went out.

"Let me handle this. And vanish" Meg said to Sei.

"No, it's…"

"Sei, go, now! I will hold him up, I know how. Tell Jo I am sorry."

Sei looked into Meg's eyes and nodded. She ran out and Meg turned to face a man she didn't know and her father.

"Where are your friends? Laurent asked trying to pass her.

"It doesn't matter. I am coming home. I said good bye to them."

He stopped looking surprised at her.

"Their getting away" the other man said.

Laurent nodded short.

"Let them" he said taking Meg by her shoulders.


	7. Defense is the best offense

"Where is Meg?" Jo asked as Sei jumped into the car.

"She is coming with Leo" the woman said driving off. "Got damn it! Henry couldn't shut his mouth, now they are all after you" she raced off. "We have to hide you and…"

"Sei…where is Meg?" Jo asked calm.

The woman sighted.

"She said she will stop them" she replied looking concerned at Jo.

"And you let her…" her voice was low.

She hit the board of the car with her fist.

"Damn it Sei! Why did you let her?"

"Do you want to be back there? In their car taking you back where it all started? I had no other option…"

"You sacrificed Meg for me!" she growled.

"Yes, yes I did, ok? I am sorry, but if I had to choose between Meg and you I chose you! Meg…hasn't been that long with us…besides don't tell me you are in love with her because I won't believe that!"

"Why?!"

"Because you have known her a few days. I've seen you with women and you never…you leave the next day Jo! Why Meg?"

"Turn around" Jo said slowly.

"No. Amy!"

"Sorry Jo" the little girl said taking her by surprise. She bent over, caught Jo's neck and injected something into her. It didn't take Jo long to lose her conscience.

Meg couldn't even recall how she had gotten home. The flight back, everything was blurry. Her father had remained silent, the whole way back, giving her some privacy. So there she was in her room, the next morning. And it felt empty. Her whole being felt empty, she had no idea what to do with her life. And the worst part was that she didn't even know if Jo was fine.

Meg stood up and approached the window. She looked outside at the big garden and pressed her lips together. If she wanted to make sure that Jo was safe, she would have to be as close to her father as possible.

"I see sleeping beauty awoke" Laurent said as Meg entered his office. "Have you slept well?"

Meg sat down in front of the desk.

"Ok, so I am back. What now?"

"We will take it step by step. Once you understand what I am doing, I am sure you will come to agree. I would like you to meet one of my creations. Other than Jo and spend time with her. Monitor her."

"Her? Are all your …creations women?"

"Yes, as women can develop the strength of a man and still keep the sharp sense of a woman. You see, as you women, have been built by nature to have children, you have a sixth sense that can come very handy when battling. So, yes, I have created only women."

"And what does monitoring mean to you?"

"Pay attention. See how she reacts, how she develops, how she acts. Write everything down, including the changes in her body. She is outside, she likes to train there."

Meg nodded and stood up. But as she approached the door she stopped.

"I guess me being here doesn't mean you will stop hunting Jo" she said to her father.

"No, I won't. And it's not hunting; I want the best for her. When the government stopped the funds I wanted to take them in. Running away was just a stupid reaction of Jo."

"Just that you know, I will keep close and I won't let you harm her."

He smiled and she left.

Meg walked out through the big garden of her house and stopped when she found a woman hitting a wooden pole. A short look at her and the tattoos, moreover the red eyes made Meg understand that this was her father's "subject". She sat down on a bench waiting for the woman to finish.

"Why do you smell like Jo?" the woman asked suddenly.

"What?" Meg asked shocked.

"You have Jo's scent on you; I can feel it a mile away. It's not very pregnant as your own sent is quite alluring" the woman turned flaming with her eyes.

"I met Jo…"

"Where is she?"

"I won't tell you that."

The woman smiled and sat next to Meg.

"It doesn't matter. She is on a lower than me. I am Maria and you must be Meg. I recognize you from your father's pictures."

"Maria…are you here on your own free will?"

"Of course what else?" Maria laughed.

"My father asked me to spend time with you, to watch all your reactions, emotions, changes in your body."

"Good. I will enjoy having you around" she approached Meg. "Should we start tomorrow?"

"Yes" Meg stood up.

"You will find you like me more than Jo" the woman said and returned to her training.

Meg left. Right now she felt sorry for Maria. How much of her life was a lie and how much truth?

"It was her choice, Jo!" Sei sat in front of the silent Jo. For days now, she was staring into nothing, her eyes cold and blank. "Understand for once and for all. This is not like you to get depressive over a girl…"

"I am not depressive, Sei, I am angry. I left her behind, I couldn't turn. I…feared. For the first time in my life I feared something and I can't forgive me this."

"Look…about Meg…I understand you liked her. But it's not like you to give so much importance to a woman. I know you…here and then you have an adventure, nothing more. What's so special about Meg? Tell me for once and for all."

Jo sighted, stroking the short hair out of her eyes.

"In her eyes I see myself human. Not once has she looked with fear at me. And I…I've let my own fear get in the way" she whispered still staring outside.

"She did it for you…to gain you some time…"

"Yes, to gain me time! They will still chase me and I also lost Meg!" she finally stared at Sei. "Don't you understand it? I was finally starting to…live properly. Now they have taken it away from me…even this!"

Jo stood up, went to the sink and poured herself a glass of water. Sei sighted long, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Fine, I will help you. What should we do?"

Jo remained silent for a while, thinking.

"You know what they say. The best defense is a good offence" she turned to Sei, a slick smile taking over her lips.

"Ok, so your temperature and pulse are normal" Meg said putting the thermometer away. "I would like you to look at some pictures and tell me what goes through your mind. What you feel when you see them" she sat before Maria taking out a bunch of photographs.

"If it's fun to you" Maria said bored.

Meg held the pictures up, one by one.

"Dog. Cat. Building. Stone. Green environment. Garbage. Corpse." Maria said.

"No…Maria, I know what the pictures are. Tell me what feelings they raise in you."

"Feelings?"

"Yes, for example: this is the picture of a cute puppy. Do you like puppies?"

"I see a dog, nothing more nothing less" she shrugged.

"And this corpse? Does it make you sick, or maybe curious?"

"It's a corpse, a dead body. I don't care about dead bodies."

"Nothing? No emotion at all?"

"No" she shrugged again.

"Ok" Meg said putting the pictures away. "Let's try something else. What do you like to eat?"

"Food."

"What kind of food?"

"Any kind, it's the same to me."

"Ok…how does it feel to kill?"

"Now we are talking. Like my purpose. But it's not only the killing I want a good fight. This is what triggers my emotions" she smirked.

"Right. Try to tell me one human thing, usual thing you like".

"That's easy. You" she approached Meg.

"Ok, you are helpless. I am taking you to the movies, the candy shop, shopping and…I don't know places usual people enjoy. I have to see emotions in you."

"Oh, you are taking me on a date?" her hand went towards Meg's face, but the woman pulled away.

"Just…be ready to leave in 15 minutes" she said leaving the room.

"So I can choose the movie?" Maria said looking at the posters. "This one" she pointed at an action- horror flick.

"Why doesn't it surprise me?" Meg asked herself as she paid for the tickets.

"The same as Jo enjoyed isn't it?" Maria approached placing her hand on Meg's shoulder. "You see the two of us are not so different. Just that I am better than her."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"You will see…in time. Now let's enjoy the movie."

Meg couldn't pay too much attention. The movie recalled her even more of Jo and she couldn't stop missing the woman. Not that she wanted: keeping Jo alive in her memory was essential to her.

"So?" Meg asked Maria as the movie finally ended and after Meg felt she had a few little heart attacks.

"Entertained me somehow" the woman said.

"Ok" Meg sighted. "Let's stop for today. We will do the shopping and cake another day. I cannot focus too much today."

Maria frowned. She could tell Meg was absent minded and she could tell why. Maybe it was time to get Jo out of the picture. Once and for all.

As Meg entered the house she met her father in the hallway. The man stopped her and by the look in his eyes Meg understood.

"Where?"

"Before you do anything crazy, let me tell you that it's good she is here after all. At least you will get to see her."

He took a step back and Meg's eyes fell on Jo who was standing in the hallway. She wanted to walk to her, but her father grabbed her hand.

"Jo, please meet my daughter Meg" he said.

"What?" Meg asked confused.

"Hi" Jo said neutral and walked away.

"What in…"

"I erased her memory. I had to if I wanted to make her stay."

Meg gazed at her father with an empty mind.

"You took her away from me?" she whispered.

"It's better like this. Understand once and for all Jo is not made to have feelings for any human being. Not even for you."

He let her arm go and Meg dropped to the floor. She remained alone in the hallway, watching her tears fall on the marble ground.


	8. Between Jo and Meg

Author's note: Here it is, finally! Sorry it took me so ling, but Jo can give one a headache from time to time. Thank you and enjoy!

Meg was still on the floor when she saw a shadow approaching. She looked up into Jo's red eyes, but there was no trace of any warmth. At that point she could have frozen with fire.

"What are you doing on the ground? Is this some eccentric way for you rich people to pass time? Guess cozy, expensive furniture isn't enough now days" the silver haired woman said bored.

Meg wiped her tears away and stood up, sighting long.

"So who are you?" she asked wanting to understand what passed through Jo's mind.

"As your father said, I am Jo."

"I got that…but who are you, where do you come from?"

"Around here. I was away for a while doing some training."

"What kind of training? Where?"

"Military training, some place in America you wouldn't know".

The red haired beauty pressed her lips together, concluding that, not only had her father erased all of Jo's memory, but he also implanted a new one in Jo's mind.

"Are you sure?" Meg asked.

"Of course I am sure, what kind of question is that?"

Meg approached Jo raised her head and kissed the woman. Her lips felt like marble, stiff at first, but then Jo pressed her mouth against Meg, kissed her hard, placing her palm on Meg's butt. At first she let herself be kissed almost animally by Jo, but then Meg pulled away.

"It's in vein, I thought it would help" she whispered to herself and turned to walk away, not baring the sight of Jo anymore. Not of this…Jo. But the woman caught her wrist and pulled her back.

"Wait…you kiss me and leave?"

"Yes, it was a mistake."

"A mistake? What kind of mistake is this? If this is a game, I can play games, but truly I would prefer taking you upstairs and having a little bit of fun with you. And from your kiss, I guess you wanted the same."

"Oh, you don't know how much I would like that. But not with…you. And not for a 'little time'.

"Look love" Jo smirked pulling Meg closer "I can't promise you a beautiful relationship with pink flowers and cuddling puppies, as I don't care for that, but I can promise to make you scream louder than you ever did."

"Yes, I would like to scream right now" Meg frowned and pulled away.

She ran up the stairs to her room, looked herself in there and sighted long. The fact was…she had no idea what to do next.

The next days to follow, Meg tried avoiding everyone as much as she could, pretending she had a bad flew. She went to town, lying that she was going to see a doctor. She tried contacting Sei, Kyohei, Amy, Leo, anybody. But it was all in vein, no number she dialed was still in use. She got no reply to her email, letters, postcards and started fearing her father might have arranged a sudden disappearing to all of them. But Bei Lan was much too strong and big for that, she just couldn't believe it.

"Honey, are you feeling better?" Laurent asked that night Meg finally decided to come out of her room.

"Yes, I am…"

"You have to let me check you, after all I am a doctor."

"I would rather not. But I have a question and I need you to be sincere."

"Meg, you can blame for anything you like. But not of ever lying to you. I have always answered your questions very sincere. That is, of course, if you asked me."

"I want to know how you captured Jo."

"Captured Jo?" he laughed short. "I didn't have to capture her. She walked right into the house, telling me that she will surrender if I promise to never harm you. Of course I would have never but…I gave her what she wanted."

"That's it?" Meg's eyes widened.

"Yes, simple as that" he shrugged.

Meg stood up.

"Just that you know…you harmed me more than I ever thought you could."

"That's just nonsense; I always wanted your best. You think falling in love with a synthetic life was something good for you? How can you love a robot, Meg? She doesn't have such feelings, she has only primary instincts."

"Well you see…father" she said cold "you are terrible wrong, not to mention that you are an ignorant. You created something and you never took the time to learn about it. You never took the time to try and see more in her."

"I created a killing machine, Meg! I created a life form that would have helped me later to develop just certain organs, not a somehow human being! Organs that would have helped your mother from dying!" his voice raised.

"She was already dead, you would have turn her into a zombie!"

"You're such a child…"

"No, I am not! Because you took that away from me, you turned me into a barrel of sadness and then took away the only person who had finally made me sane again. That is because all your life you cared only for your emotions and your desires! Only what you wanted mattered. You loved my mother in an egoistic way, just as you love me."

"Well, at least I love you! You just hate me!"

"I don't hate you…"Meg's voice softened. "I can't…you are my father. But, I pity you and certainly I have stopped loving you many years ago. End of story!"

She took a deep breath and walked out of the room, asking the maid where Jo was. She found the woman and Maria in the kitchen. Meg approached Jo and slapped the woman's face as hard as she could.

"Fool! I had a plan, you know! You don't always have to come to rescue me, I did have a plan. I was going to come back for you and end this once and for all!"

She raised her hand again, her eyes watering, but Jo caught it.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? What are you talking about?" Jo asked trying to keep her calm. Maria was laughing. "Don't ever hit me again, or I swear I will forget you are your father's daughter and that won't…feel nice."

"You are the biggest fool ever!" Meg shouted and left the room.

"Finally, some show I enjoyed" Maria said pleased.

"Did she do that to you too?" Jo asked angry.

"No, she was just sugar and honey with me. By the way I like Meg, so you will just keep away from her."

"And why would you like a spoiled brat?"

"Oh, I have my reasons" her eyes sparkled. "I wonder how it feels like to have someone adore you just as she adored…"Maria stopped. She laughed again and walked to the door, leaving Jo look bored after her.

"You became boring since you stopped wanting to fight me" she called after the woman.

"Just a faze…I will want to fight you again and when the time comes it will be a different kind of fight. Right now I am entertained, we will talk when I'll be bored again."

"You mean, finished with that girl?"

"Probably" Maria shrugged and left.

Meg was sending her thousand email to Sei. It was almost noon, she was hiding in the garden and the sun was burning on her white skin. She sighted and hoped for the best.

"So what is it about you that everybody is so mesmerized about?" Jo approached looking down at the woman.

"Mesmerized?" Meg asked as she tried seeing Jo's face, but because of the light she could only recognize a shadow. Jo's silhouette recalled Meg of an angel and she felt her heart soften again.

"Yes, I mean your father, Maria…even the maids, all are concentrating around you."

"Maybe I am cute" Meg tried joking.

"Well…"Jo shrugged.

"Or maybe not".

"You're beautiful enough, but I don't think it's that".

"Beautiful enough?" Meg laughed short.

"Don't play innocent with me, you know that very well" Jo said a little annoyed.

"Doesn't seem to help".

"Help you in what?"

"Have you ever loved, Jo?"

"No" she replied short.

Meg had to take a long breath in order to not burst from that sharp response.

"Well, I did. But I lost that person. I actually lost both persons I loved most. One dies, the other was taken away from me. Now I fight for that second person."

"You are wasting your time. If someone doesn't want you, then move on."

"No, I won't" Meg smiled for the first time in a long while. "Not at least until I know she receives her life back."

"You're talking in riddles to me. And I am usually not breaking my mind with things I don't care for" Jo said wanting to leave.

"Wouldn't you like to leave this place and have a life of your own?" Meg asked stopping the woman.

"On my own? Where? What?" Jo crooked her nose.

"I don't know, out there, doing whatever you like to".

"I am fine here, why change that?"

"But do you like it here?"

"What are you asking me, Meg? Why don't you just leave and find your love and stop asking me silly questions? If you want to leave then do so. Don't assume others want what you do".

"Damn it, this is getting much too complicated" Meg rubbed her forehead.

"Then drop it".

Jo walked away.

The night had fallen down when Meg returned back to the house. She wanted to go directly to her room, but her eyes stopped on a small, wooded door that went to the basement. She looked long at it and as much as she tried moving away from there, she couldn't. She approached the door and to her surprise it was opened. She went down the illuminated corridor and stopped in front of another door, a metallic, modern one. She couldn't recall that door. It was locked. Her eyes fell on a small scanning device that seemed to be destined for a hand.

"Oh father" she whispered disappointed. But then she placed her hand on the scanner and to her big surprise the door opened. She stepped inside stopping at the first door on the right. She opened it and entered the dark room, searching with her hand for the switch. She finally found it and as she pressed it she froze. The room looked the same as it did years ago. Even the sheets were the same. Crumbled and used. The cup, the robe, the slippers. Everything was lying in the same position like that same night…only her mother was missing. Meg pressed her back against the wall, feeling her mind blur, fearing not to fall to the ground. She found it hard to breathe; she covered her eyes, seeing the image of her mother in front of her. Every nightmare that was haunting her appeared in front of her and she wanted to run out, but she couldn't. She dropped to the floor and covered her head, screaming inside. She lost herself for a moment, nothing seemed real anymore.

Meg felt she was lifted from the ground. She was still covering her head and eyes, her body stiff, but the arms around her felt familiar. She was afraid to open her eyes; she pressed her lips together and then felt she was placed on sheets.

"Meg…come to yourself" she heard Jo's low voice, but this time it sounded warm. "Your father is on his way…".

Meg tried saying something, but she couldn't. She opened her eyes and the dim light fell on Jo's tattoos, making them open like wings. And then Meg calmed, her lips smiling softly. She knew the nightmares and guilt would always remain, but she accepted them, knowing how to face the world with them. She lost her conscience falling in a deep sleep.

When Meg opened her eyes she found her father in the same room, working at a big computer. She looked around: the whole room was filled with devices that looked like a SF movie to her. She pushed the blanket away and placed her feet on the ground.

"You had a nervous breakdown, that's all" her father said in a soft tone. He was smiling, he was always smiling. "Jo told me she found you in your mother…in her room".

"Yes…what is this place?" Meg asked. "Since when…"

"It was always there, Meg. Just that you never walked beyond that room."

"You always said this was your research lab, you wouldn't let me enter".

"But today you opened the doors to it with you own hand, because you are a part of it now. This is you Meg as it is me".

"Did you create Maria and Jo here?"

"Yes…"

"Jo is approximately my age and Maria probably as well. So all this time…"

"I moved them here, when the government dropped the project. But, basically they are a little younger than you".

"So you didn't raise one child, but three".

"I raised one daughter, my child. I trained and build the other two".

"Father, how can you be so open minded and so narrow minded at the same time? Why is it that you always want to see only as far as your eye go? I mean, you are a revolutionary mind, you are genius and you act like…like a…like a heartless mind. Right, that's it. You try separating the two, after all bringing them together only harmed you. So you prefer acting like a cold, senseless person. But, come on father, you can't be only like this; I mean you raised me and I am a cry baby after all".

He looked at her surprised, she was smiling amused. Meg jumped of the bed and walked the mazes of corridors still amazed what was hidden under her house. She finally found her way out and went to Jo's room, hoping the woman was there. She knocked and entered. Jo was under the shower so she sat down on the bed and waited for the woman to come out. And she did, to Meg's relief with a towel around her. She looked surprised at the woman on her bed. Meg stood up and approached Jo, the smile on her face confident and playful.

"Can you even imagine how it feels to be loved truly, to be desired, to have someone absorb you, look at you like you are everything in this world?"

Jo remained still for a second looking intrigued at the woman.

"Yet again with the romantic sweet talk? I told you…"

"Just answer me the question" Meg said as she stood up and approached her. "Do you know how it feels to not be alone in this world?".

Silence took over the room.

"I do. And mostly I do know how it is to gift that to someone. You can't possibly understand what I mumble here, because it was taken away from you. But I won't give up, Jo. I won't"

She smiled and it seemed to Jo that light filled up the room. Meg turned and walked to the door.

"Meg…" Jo called after her. "You're blessed, you blessed yourself. You will never be empty as much as you might suffer. Your heart is too big to be emptied. But don't gift your love to emptiness".

"Why not? If something is empty it can be filled" she said with joy. "Night, Jo".

She left the room and Jo rubbed her forehead. She hit the closet with her fist, but even if angry a smile appeared in the corner of her lip.

Meg walked back to her room and bumped into Maria.

"I can't believe it that you still try. Can't you see she can't care less?" Maria asked.

"Because she can't remember."

"Oh, really? Ok, she can't. But how come she doesn't feel anything for you? Because, let's face it, love is not something your father can erase. By now Jo should have questions about you, feel something. Yet she is cold and senseless like always. I feel you are fooling yourself, Meg."

Meg arched a little.

"No, really, think of it. How come she doesn't have any feelings at all for you? Maybe Jo never loved you, maybe she thought she did or she wished she could. Has she even told you she does?"

"Some things don't need words".

"But others do. Just think of it, I wouldn't want to see you suffer for nothing".

Meg frowned and looked long at Maria. Then she entered her room. Maria grinned and walked away, just to bump into Jo behind the corner.

"Jo" Maria grinned even more.

Jo grabbed Maria by her neck. She pushed the woman to the wall.

"What was that? What are you hiding from me?"

Maria looked long at the woman, barely moving. Her lips were still grinning.

"I heard everything you said to her. What is that about me loving her?"

"I wonder if…if I kill you, will she learn to love me?" Maria asked.

"What?"

"What's going on here?" Laurent interrupted the two. Jo pulled away.

"Nothing, just a regular quarrel between siblings."

"Which involves chocking?"

"Well, you know us, we argue differently" Jo shrugged.

"Laurent, who would you prefer Meg would love? Me or Jo?" Maria asked surprising both Laurent and Jo.

"None of you! For crying out loud, keep away from my daughter, or I will end you both. I made you, I can end you!" he said with anger.

"Is that so?" Maria snorted approaching Laurent, making him back up. "You see, Laurent, maybe the government was right, maybe we are experiments who got out of hand. Am I right, Jo?"

The woman smirked and also approached the two.

"You played god for too long" Jo shrugged.

Maria placed her hand on the man's neck, who was by now shivering in fear.

"Don't play with poisonous toys. Didn't your mother teach you that?" Maria whispered in his ear. "I can break you with a snap of my fingers".

"Maria, you went insane" he said, his voice lowering.

"No, I am sick of you. And so is Jo".

"And what will you be without me? You don't even exist, legally!"

"That was never a problem for us. If I would be you, I would rather think of what will happen to Meg of you die."

"What has gotten into you?" he placed his palms on her hands.

"Do it already" Jo said turning around, but as she did she faced Meg. The woman's eyes had turned cold and she approached Laurent, pulling him out of Maria's grip.

"You just turned into the monsters my father believed he created" Meg said, her voice low and thick.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Jo asked. "To escape him?"

"You suddenly know what I want?" Meg looked at the woman. "I wanted my peace and the woman I love back. But not with the price of another life, be it even my father, who lately has done nothing else than to hurt me. In the end, he is my father. Let's go"

She pulled him away, making him run as fast as he could. She pushed him in one of his cars and drove off. And she drove for long into the night, in perfect silence. Finally, Meg pulled in front of a hotel.

"I don't know what to say, Meg…" Laurent whispered. "I never expected you to come to my rescue".

"You did this to yourself. With your own hand" Meg said exiting the car. She went to the reception and booked an apartment, where she took her father.

"Now what?" he asked sitting on the couch.

"Now you explain to me what your true plan was. With Jo and Maria. And don't lie to me".

"My initial plan…you know it. I thought that by creating them I could create parts, body parts to rescue your mother. I never got the chance to it as…" he sighted. "I don't know…I wanted my own army, I wanted to have power. And I saw the beginning of it in Maria and Jo."

"Why? Why the need of this power?"

"Because I could be in control of everything!"

Meg snickered amused.

"I am after all, just a soul in pain, Meg!"

"No, you are not! A soul in pain grieves! You…control, build, you…"

"I do it my way".

"Ok. I will tell you what to do and you will, if not I swear to you I will blow up everything you have done! Tomorrow you will go to the bank and open one account for each one of them. You will give them money, an identity, a life. And you will leave them alone. You will set both free".

"And you think they will stop hunting me down?"

"I hope so".

"And then what?"

"I don't fucking care! Go to Asia, become a monk, meditate. It's not my problem" she stood up.

"And you…what about you?" he stopped her.

Meg remained silent.

"I have no idea. I truly don't. Try to get some rest" she said going into her room.

Meg didn't get too much sleep that night. She tossed in bed and by day brake was already fit. Laurent woke up and found Meg with his lawyer having a conversation.

"There you are" the man greeted Meg's father. "I understand from Meg you…well I can settle it all. I can create documents for two nonexistent persons. And I won't ask anything, the money Meg promised me is enough to shut my mouth. I will bring later the documents for you to sign".

Laurent nodded and the man left. Meg looked at him satisfied.

"I am proud of you" she said.

Her phone rang and she picked up.

"I need to see you" Jo said.

"Jo…"

"I really need to see you".

"No, Jo. Not now. In a few days then I will have something for you."

"Meg…please."

"Just trust me. I know you have no reason for it, but try. Ok?" she hang up.

She sighted.

"I called her a monster" Meg whispered.

"Meg…I am sorry" her father said.

"Well…"

"I mean I am truly sorry for what is going to happen now".

"What do you…"

Meg didn't get to finish her sentence as the door brook open, several masked men entering. They shot something at Meg and the woman lost her conscience.


	9. The rescue and the fight

Meg woke up in room that resembled a prison cell. There were no windows, just a toilet and a bed. The door was made out of steel and the lights were cold. She tried coming to herself and understanding what was happening. The door opened with a loud noise and a man she had never seen in her life entered. He sat on the bed and looked up at Meg.

"Your first mistake was thinking that your father was alone in this. Your second mistake was not letting the two kill him. And your last and biggest mistake was poking your nose too much into this. Couldn't you just be a pretty girl enjoying her father's fortune?" he said without an introduction.

Meg blinked confused.

"I am keeping you alive for his sake…for a while. It's over Meg. We got Jo, we got Maria. They will be…let's say reprogramed, totally. I am taking your father out of this, after all he was weak. And you…you will soon join your beloved mother".

He stood up and left the cell. Meg remained behind. Speechless.

The fire was hot, but Jo couldn't care less. She looked at the big pile, which used to be an elegant house, burning down like an old puppet house. A car stopped behind her and she turned crossing her arms.

"Finally, Sei" Jo said getting in.

"Where's Maria?"

"She let herself be captured. And I am sure where she is, is Meg as well."

"This got out of hand. You were supposed to end it sooner".

"Well, the day I wanted to blow up the basement, I found Meg on the floor there. Pretty much blew my plans off".

"And she…".

"No, she doesn't suspect that I never lost my memory. I have to get her back, Sei. She said some things to me…I don't think I can face this world anymore if she is not around".

"Then let's get her back" Sei smiled.

Maria was being wired up to a machine. She couldn't feel her limbs, she could hardly move her eyes. But she felt her little finger on her right hand starting to come back to life. She would have grinned if she could. Finally, even if her hand was still numb, she felt her arm. And as the doctor approached her, she raised it and stuck her little finger in his neck. Blood splashed all over her and as she tasted it, her whole body gained in strength. She roared like an animal and raised herself, rupturing the strings holding her tied to the bed.

"Payback time!" she said furiously as she attacked every man trying to approach her.

By the time Jo and Sei finally busted in, they found Maria splash in a puddle of blood. Her eyes were furious and wild.

"Get your princess. I'll handle the rest" she said to Jo.

The woman didn't wait long and ran down the hallway, trying to sense Meg. She stopped in front of a room, with a metal door. Jo tried opening it, but even for her strength, the door didn't bust.

"Right into my trap" she heard a voice and as she turned she found Laurent and a man next to him. "It's over" he pointed a gun at her.

Jo looked at both analyzing the situation.

"She really doesn't mean anything to you, does she?" Jo asked Laurent.

He pressed his lips together.

"I am probably weak" he said and punched the man next to him in his nap. He fell surprised to the floor and Laurent rushed to open the door.

"Jo? Father?" Meg asked rather confused.

Jo embraced Meg without a warning and remained like that long.

"Now go!" Laurent yelled.

Jo grabbed Meg's arm and pulled her out.

"Wait! And you?" Meg asked her father.

"Maybe I will become a monk" he smiled. "You will have to take care of yourself, Meg! I do love you my child, even if in my own strange way".

"I love you too, dad" her eyes watered.

It all turned blurry to Meg. She felt Jo pull her out, take her to a car, enter it. She saw Sei and a Maria covered in blood. Sei drove off and she heard a big explosion behind her. The tears rolled down her cheeks and she couldn't stop herslef. She felt Jo's arms around her and as much as she tried moving, she couldn't. Somewhere, sometime she lost track of everything around her.

Meg opened her eyes and found that she was in an unknown room. It was dark outside and she could hear the rain falling. At first her mind was blank, but then she started recalling everything. Her father…Jo, the dungeon or what it was. Sorrow took her over and she felt the need to cry. So she cried.

"Is she still asleep?" Sei asked Jo.

"I think so, I didn't want to disturb her. And when she wakes up…I have no idea how she will react. I…I don't think I understand her anymore."

"You don't understand these emotions, Jo."

"She hated her father, so why protect him?"

"It's not that simple" Sei smiled sitting down in front of Jo. "He was, after all, her father. The question is now: what you want. I mean, it's over."

"Is it, Sei? What if in another couple of years it starts all over again? Someone else starts looking for me and Maria, someone else finds out we exist?"

"I think we destroyed everything when we blew up that building. And Maria she…well, made sure no one else got out of there. So, basically it's over. Of course, Meg is not who you know she is anymore. She is the heir of a billion dollars industry."

"And it all seemed so simple when we were eating ordered food in my flat" Jo sighted.

The door opened and Meg entered. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face tired. She looked at Sei and Jo a little confused.

"Where are we exactly?" she asked.

"In a flat, in a hotel outside New York" Sei replied.

"Oh, right…" she looked outside the window.

"How are you feeling?" Sei asked.

"Confused. I don't really understand what happened…I mean I tried contacting you over and over again, I was afraid you had vanished totally. And you…" she looked at Jo "how come you saved me? Because I had the impression you were interested only in your own wellbeing. And…my head is spinning" she sat down next to Jo.

"I get it you are confused" Sei said. "And first of all, I am sorry for what happened to your father. The story goes like this: when you returned back, just to protect Jo, she couldn't stay home with her arms crossed. She wanted to come after you so came up with a plan: she will return and we suspected that your father would try to erase her memory. We managed, with Amy's help, trick him into believing he did so. The plan was for Jo to destroy the laboratory and get you out of there. But she didn't understand that you would…you couldn't have your father killed. Anyway, your father wasn't working alone, there were others involved in the Genocide Angel. You tried getting him out of it, but I guess they would have never approved it. This is why you have been captivated. There was no other option than to blow that whole building up and get you out of there. But, I must say, in the end it was your father who truly saved you" Sei explained.

Meg blinked a few times, trying to comprehend everything.

"So, wait a second…you never lost your memory?" she looked at Jo.

"No…"

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Maria would have sensed it. And I couldn't screw this up Meg. But, in the end, she got what she wanted: revenge. So we helped each other".

Meg looked long at Jo, her eyes turning cold. She stood up and left the room without a word.

"Now what? What is that supposed to mean?" Jo angered.

"Give her some space, Jo…"

"No!" she left the room like a storm. Sei sighted and rubbed her forehead trying to remember where she had left her ear plugs.

Jo entered Meg's room and slammed the door after her.

"So now what? You just left without a word? After…" the silver haired flamed.

"After what? After all you did for me?" Meg turned to her as annoyed as Jo.

"Not that! After everything we've been through!"

"You fooled me! You fooled me into thinking you'd lost your memory! Do you know how that felt for me? I wanted to die!"

"Yes, I know! Because I was there to watch you. I heard every single tear and moan and sight. And I couldn't do a thing about it! And moreover I was craving for you, I was…I desired you so much!"

"Well, I guess you got what you wanted! And I gave myself like a fool because I was too weak!".

"I loved you with every part of me, even if I fell asleep afterwards. I was tired…" she slowed down "it wasn't very easy to concentrate not to lose my memory!" Jo flamed again. "And your father…what was that all about protecting him and running away with him?"

"He is my father, Jo! Well, was…and I didn't just run away, I had convinced him to drop the project, create for you and Maria new identities and open you both a fat bank account! So you could have a life!"

"Well, that ended well with you being concealed in that dungeon and me having to save your ass!"

"Screw you, Jo!" Meg shouted and turned around.

Jo was about to explode, Meg was on the merge of breaking a vase. Just that she couldn't find any around. And then Jo's eyes fell on Meg's body, lingered on her curves…

"But I guess it was worth it, you have a cute ass after all".

Meg growled half annoyed, a smile forming in the corner of her lip. But she couldn't let Jo see that, so she turned to exit the room as fast as she can. Jo grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"In those times…you thought I had lost my memory…you said so many things to me, you fought so hard for me and for us…you can't understand how hard it was for me to keep pretending. But I never felt that in my life, Meg. I never felt loved. This is why I am not giving you up. I might not understand you, I might not get you sometimes…but I fell in love with you. Madly!" she said the words, staring at the floor.

"I would so much love right now to beat the crap out of you…" Meg whispered. "Because you…"

She didn't get to continue her sentence as she was silenced by Jo's lips. She tried pushing the woman away as she was still boiling, but passion took her soon over. She melted into the kiss and in Jo's arms.

"Is it over?" Amy asked Sei. "I am afraid they will kick us out of the hotel if they keep fighting like this".

"No…I think it just started" Sei smiled content.

The End

Ok, so I was planning to make two chapters out of this, but ended up posting it in only one as a little gift for the new Year to come.

May all your wishes come true and may all of you write and read like insane people! Have a wonderful year!


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